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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29902287">O FORTUNA</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MegaFrost4/pseuds/MegaFrost4'>MegaFrost4</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Doctor Who (2005), Sherlock (TV), Supernatural, Superwholock - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adventure, Apocalypse, Chaos, Crossover Event, F/M, Forgiveness, Hell, Love, M/M, Mystery, O Fortuna, Passion, Prophecy, Psychological Torture, Regret, Second Chances, Sherlock's Mind Palace, Superwholock, Time Lord, Torture</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:47:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>29,321</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29902287</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MegaFrost4/pseuds/MegaFrost4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The TARDIS takes the Doctor to present-day London to help a consulting detective and his blogger solve a series of unfortunate events that has the high-functioning sociopath stumped. Things continue to take a turn for the worse as what was thought to be gone forever returns with a vengeance.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel/Dean Winchester, Eleventh Doctor/Rose Tyler, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"GERONIMOOOOOO!" The Doctor almost fell flat on his face with excitement. He could not wait to see where his old girl was taking him. He loved surprises.</p><p>The TARDIS hummed its tune that the Doctor and former companions had grown to love. He smiled as he was thrown off balance, not paying attention to his feet.</p><p>It was that important at the time...</p><p>She soon landed with a thud. Fixing his bow tie, the Doctor parked her as gracefully as ever, which was quite rough, to be honest.</p><p>"At a girl!" He patted her affectionately. "Now where did you take me today?" He headed for the doors. "I really hope you didn't take me to Venus again. You may find it very humorous, but I don't need to work on any tan. I like my glowing-" He stuttered, not too thrilled with what he saw. Slamming the door shut, he composed himself.</p><p>"Oh dear."</p><hr/><p>"John?"</p><p>...</p><p>"Jooohn?"</p><p>...</p><p>"JOOOOOOOOOOOOHNNNNNNNNN?"</p><p>...</p><p>Sherlock was bored. There was nothing to do in the dull flat, and there was no case at the moment. Except for the one he was intentionally ignoring. People have disappeared without a trace: no ransom note, no money trail, nothing! It left Sherlock chasing his tail, and it was embarrassing to the consulting detective whose reputation had to be kept up. He could not wrap his brain around it, so he shoved it to the back of his mind to deal with later.</p><p>He did not feel like going through the cold cases Mycroft had "oh-so-kindly" dropped off for him, because, well, they were from <em>Mycroft</em>. He needed John. Where had John gone?</p><p>He sat up, placing a hand on his stomach. Odd...it usually does not make that noise. Ah, yes, John went to pick them up some lunch, and for the first time in a long time, Sherlock actually agreed and ordered something because he was...hungry. John seemed a little too enthusiastic that he wanted to eat. He knew his body had to function with calories to use as energy or what-not, but he also needed his brain to function. Yes, that was the most important matter at hand.</p><p>He heard the door downstairs open then close.</p><p>"Jooooooooooohn..."</p><p>Still no answer.</p><p>Sherlock huffed, then curled into a tighter ball with his revolver slung lazily over his shoulder, pointing it towards the door to their flat.</p><p>"Right, Sherlock, they didn't have any fresh biscuits, so I asked Mrs. Hudson to make some, and sh-SHERLOCK! Get that thing pointing <em>away</em> from me this instant! I'm bringing you a peace offering, so there is no need to...whatever are you doing?"</p><p>"Bored." Sherlock mumbled against the back cushion of his chair.</p><p>"I'm sorry, what?"</p><p>"Bored!" Sherlock stood up and shot the wall a couple of times where that blasted smiley face was still stained on the wall. Sherlock insisted they keep it up for old time's sake, since it was their first case together right after John had moved in.</p><p>"Well, since we aren't making any headway on the case..." Sherlock glared at him. "And I brought some lunch, now you have something to do." He sat the food on the little table between his chair and Sherlock's, not as wary of the gun since it was pointing away from him. "Eat."</p><p>Sherlock stared at his box for a second as if with X-Ray vision, then, deciding it was harmless, tossed the gun onto the couch and sat down to start eating.</p><p>"Did you not hear me calling for you?"</p><p>"Uh, no, my apologies. I was three blocks away getting our takeout because someone was hungry and I jumped on the opportunity. What did you need anyway?"</p><p>"Your laptop."</p><p>"Again..." John rolled his eyes. "Yours is right there!" Sherlock gave him a confused look, not wanting to look in the direction John was pointing since it would require turning around. "Never mind. I don't want to know."</p><p>Sherlock hummed as he continued eating.</p><p>A double knock on the door alerted the boys that Mrs. Hudson was entering. "Good afternoon! I brought some sweets for my sweet little boys!" Sherlock made a gagging face that Mrs. Hudson thankfully did not see as John thanked her warmly.</p><p>"Mrs. Hudson, John and I both are well past the age of childhood, therefore the term 'little boys' is rather unnecessary."</p><p>"Well, you both are still my...<em>grown men</em>...to me. And besides, I could just take these goodies away and give them to someone who would appreciate me more and-"</p><p>"Nevermind, it was only a joke. See, John? I told you I can make a funny."</p><p>"Hilarious."</p><p>"Quite the charmer, you are." Mrs. Hudson set the plate in between John's and Sherlock's lunch. "Well, best be off. Lots to do. Enjoy!"</p><p>"What does she have to do?"</p><p>"Oh, I don't know." John answered sarcastically. "Maybe she's going to do laundry, dishes, clean house, you know, what normal people do, as should we, meaning <em>you</em>, more often."</p><p>"Dull."</p><p>John mentally facepalmed as the they continued their lunch.</p><p>After John threw all of their wrappings into the bin, he bagged it up and set it outside for the sanitation crew to come pick up. What caught his eye was new and very strange.</p><p>It was a statue of an angel covering its eyes. Its head was tilted as if in prayer with huge wings, revealing the robed dress it was wearing. John could not help but feel the slightest bit of nerves building up. He had never noticed it before. Perhaps the neighbors across the street were redecorating?</p><p>He shook his head, then went back into the flat. He failed to see that the statue was now looking straight at the door leading to 221B, arms outstretched.</p><p>"That was weird." John closed the door behind him.</p><p>"Mmm...yes. The lifestyle of normal people never amuses me in the slightest, either." Sherlock was fiddling with his robe.</p><p>"No...uh, the folks across the street? They left this huge statue, taller than <em>me</em>-"</p><p>"That's not saying much, I'm afraid."</p><p>"Shut it. This statue was just standing on the sidewalk. It was an angel covering its eyes for some odd reason."</p><p>"What's so weird about a statue?"</p><p>"I...I don't know. It just didn't...fit, you know. I felt like I was being watched."</p><p>"Hence the reason for gargoyles in most gothic homes and cathedrals."</p><p>"Right. Well, I'm a bit tired, so anything is likely to spook me a little."</p><p>"Even stone that is going to chase after you when you turn around." Sherlock joked.</p><p>"Apparently so. I'm going to relax. Try not to burn down the flat. And if you need me, text me, don't whine or shoot something."</p><p>"The shooting is only trying to help you get over your PTSD. It's been long enough and we've been on enough cases, surely that still doesn't make you jump."</p><p>"It doesn't! Just...just text, please?"</p><p>"Fine."</p><p>"Good." John nodded his head then went upstairs to his bedroom. He had to clear his mind. What he saw chilled him to the bone, but he could not figure it out. He took a peep out the window, and gasped.</p><p>The statue had moved.</p><p>John went right back downstairs to find Sherlock dressed...<em>how does he do that?</em></p><p>"Rest well?"</p><p>"I...I need you to come with me. <em>Now</em>."</p><p>"Why? There's been another disappearance. I got a text from Lestrade."</p><p>"Just come with me for a second?"</p><p>Sherlock rolled his eyes and followed John out onto the street. He almost ran into the statue. John jumped back, running into Sherlock.</p><p>"Honestly, John. It's just a statue. Look."</p><p>"I'm looking at it." John blinked a couple of times. Sherlock just stared at it, trying to figure out why this had John throwing a fit. "Sherlock? That's not what I saw not two minutes ago upstairs."</p><p>"What do you mean?" Sherlock was circling it, eyes consuming every detail.</p><p>"It...it was facing another way."</p><p>"Someone must have turned it."</p><p>"It was in a different position."</p><p>"Impossible, John it's a statue. It can't move on its own in any way, shape, or form. It-"</p><p>"<em>No! Nononononono...Keep looking at it! Don't blink!</em>"</p><p>John and Sherlock turned to look behind him at a man wearing a bowtie throwing around what looked like a screwdriver that was glowing green at the end. He was tall, lanky, and looked very nervous. And jittery.</p><p>"Get behind me!" They did not have an option as the man shoved them behind him. He kept waving that thing in his hand.</p><p>"Um...is this yours?"</p><p>"No."</p><p>"Well, whose is it, cause it's bothering my flatmate."</p><p>"This is a Weeping Angel, and it is a deadly creature that you should stay far far away from."</p><p>"Uh huh..." John had no idea who this man was, but was glad for the assistance, although it was rather strange. "Listen, I don't know if you will believe me, but that thing was across the street last time I looked."</p><p>"Not surprised. This thing really wants you blokes for some reason." He then mumbled to himself. "That's why I'm here. They're back, but why why why?"</p><p>"It's a statue." Sherlock pointed out as if it were obvious.</p><p>"Only when you look at it. Now, I want you to continue to back up until we reach the alleyway. Then, on my mark, we are going to run into the TARDIS, I will lock the doors, and you'll be safe."</p><p>"Wait, what?"</p><p>"NOW!" The man turned around and shoved the detective and the army doctor in front of him to run and then took a sharp left. They came to a stop at a blue police box.</p><p>"I thought they didn't make these any more?"</p><p>"They don't."</p><p>"Then why...Sherlock." Sherlock turned around to see that statue...was it the same one? Impossible...standing at the head of the alley reaching for them with one arm this time.</p><p>"I see it."</p><p>"Keep looking at it till I get her unlocked and-get in, go go go!" Again, shoved.</p><p>The Doctor ran to the controls and started hitting buttons and twisting knobs and they were off. John and Sherlock kept looking outside the door at the angel that had moved again in the alotted time they had just taken to get into the police box. They almost fell on top of each other. But they were in a tiny police box. Then the scenery changed. They both turned around and gaped.</p><p>"OK, I've landed us near Big Ben. That should put us some distance away."</p><p>Not one syllable escaped either mouth. The Doctor took a moment.</p><p>"Oh, right! Yes, this is the TARDIS: Time and Relative Dimension in Space. She's a time machine, and as you can see, bigger on the inside. Care to sit down? I know she can be a bit of a show-off. Yes you are, you sexy thing you. She takes me all over the universe, any time, anywhere and I thought you guys talked more. You talk more to that angel than you do to <em>me</em>. And frankly, I find that <em>very</em> offensive!"</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>DING!</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>"Yea! Care for some tea? I promise it's freshly brewed this afternoon, but after going to the Arctic in the pre-historic era, it got a bit cold, so I heated it in the microwave. <em>Fascinating</em> invention of you humans. One of the most convenient. Did you know that...well, never mind that. Later topic. Anyways..." He clapped his hands once then stretched his arms out to either side of him as if asking for a big hug.</p><p>John walked in a circle, his head looking up and all around. Sherlock still stood by the door, eyes darting across the premises.</p><p>"It's bigger on the inside."</p><p>"Yes, John, I can see that. But what I don't understand is...how?"</p><p>"Time Lord."</p><p>"Beg your pardon?"</p><p>"I'm a Time Lord. All of this was the most advanced of my planet's technology, and I know it is very overwhelming to you humans, but it is fascinating, isn't it?"</p><p>Sherlock furrowed his brow as the man spoke.</p><p>"I'm the Doctor, by the way. Sorry, I'm really bad at formalities. Introductions are usually sporadic." He extended his hand to John, who took it half-heartedly, still in awe of the place.</p><p>"Brilliant."</p><p>Sherlock winced at that comment usually directed towards him. Jealousy encompassed him. Time to start deductions to keep the attention to the matter at hand. "How long ago was your planet destroyed?"</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"You said 'was the most advanced'. Your face lost a bit of brightness at the mentioning of it, voice cracked a bit as well. You have strange circular drawings written all over the central console that is obviously your native language. You look like a human, yet are not, hence the reason for a species that requires this certain appearance. Also, your style is thrown together rather carelessly with a bowtie, which I don't see the point in, since they were out-dated years ago."</p><p>"But bow-ties are cool..." The Doctor whined to himself as he placed a hand protectively over it.</p><p>"Furthermore, that thing you were waving in front of the statue was highly advanced, not something that has been used on Earth. Alien technology has never graced its appearance on this planet, and you are, as far as I know, the first extra-terrestrial lifeform to come here. But you've visited several times, since you know the layout of London well, so you find this as a homebase for you since you don't have a home to go to-"</p><p>"Sherlock, that's enough!" John interrupted. "Sorry about him...he does that to everyone new he comes across."</p><p>"No no no! That was very clever! I've never come to conclusions like that before, and I am a very confusing person. You read me like an open book!" The Doctor squeezed Sherlock's shoulders shaking him a little before letting go and spinning around like an excited child. "Maybe I am an open book..." He looked to John. "Is that a good thing?"</p><p>"Uh, well..." Feeling on the spot, John reverted the conversation back. "So, that was all correct? What Sherlock said?"</p><p>"Yes, hate to say. I'm from a planet called Gallifrey that was destroyed in The Time War. I'm the last of the Time Lords. We were a crazy bunch, but..." The Doctor stopped for a moment, a deep depression washing over him for a moment. He blinked then perked up. "Anywho, yes! I travel all over the universe, going on crazy adventures, coming across amazing people like you two, and save planets as I go. It's really fun once you get used to the life-threatening dangers at every turn. And the running. Always the running. Oh! I forgot my tea! Ah well, should be the right temperature anyway!" He ran off down a hallway, leaving the two humans alone.</p><p>"Am I dreaming?"</p><p>"No, because that would imply I am dreaming as well, which I never do, it's very boring."</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>An awkard silence, then <strong><em>CRASH!</em></strong></p><p>"I'm all right!" The Doctor came back with a thermos. "And so is the tea!" He showed it off proudly. "Care for some?"</p><p>"No thanks, we just ate." Sherlock said without a glance as he was studying all of the notes posted all over the console.</p><p>"Well, back to the meat of the matter. I understand that there have been disappearances recently, yes?"</p><p>"Yes...how did you-"</p><p>"Can't figure it out?" The Doctor smirked.</p><p>"Oh no..." John knew Sherlock hated his intelligence being taunted.</p><p>"It's not a matter of if I can't, it's just rather more tedious since there is a significant lack of evidence to point me in the right direction."</p><p>"I hate to say this, but...there is no way to find them." The Doctor wrung his hands nervously, having already forgotten his tea. "The Angels, they, when they catch up to you, send you off to another time, and suck the life out of you as you mope around in another time period with no way of returning home." He paused. "To put it mildly."</p><p>"Mildly? There have been <em>twelve</em> disappearances within the past two and a half weeks with nothing to go off of. There is <em>always</em> a logical explanation! And moving alien statues is <em>not</em> logical." Sherlock then threw his hands in the air, twirling them around. "THIS is not logical!"</p><p>"Yet, here we are." John gestured to the TARDIS.</p><p>Sherlock scowled at him.</p><p>"...how much bigger is it on the inside?"</p><p>"Honestly, John! You're such a child!"</p><p>"Says the drama queen."</p><p>"HAHA, you two are funny. I like you!" He threw his arms around the two new companions. "Onto the grand tour!"</p><p>"What about that statue?" Sherlock perked. It was carelessly thrown out there, and John could tell he was just as curious about this place, if not more so, than he was.</p><p>"You're safe as long as you don't look outside. Probably more of them out there. They are hardly ever alone."</p><hr/><p>A man was walking his dog down Baker Street. His little Yorkie started growling. The old man looked up and fixed his glasses to get a look at what the fuss was about.</p><p>"What's wrong, Rory?" He saw a statue of an angel taller than him. "How very peculiar..."</p><p>Rory started barking.</p><p>"Now, now we don't have to fuss about-"</p><p>Rory only stopped to sniff the ground where his master's glasses lay broken.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Around every corner of the TARDIS, a new hallway led to a new room that neither John nor Sherlock expected to find in the smaller-on-the-outside ship. There were lounges, guest rooms, closets full of clothes from every culture beyond their realm of knowledge, a swimming pool, and the largest library they had ever seen. Sherlock concluded that this could swallow every known library in the history of earth whole and still have room.</p><p>The library was his favorite.</p><p>It was full of knowledge, from all over the universe from different time periods <em>he </em>did not even know existed. He decided to skip the rest of the tour, which included a game room featuring the Doctor's new favorite thing...the Wii.</p><p>Sherlock was going to have none of that. John opted to follow the Doctor to see the rest of the TARDIS, even though he already knew what to expect at the sound of the childish wonder about the game system. His eyes scanned each side of the hallway, catching random photographs here and there of people and aliens along with a few paintings. He saw <em>Starry Night</em> and made a mental note to ask about that later. He was a huge admirer of Van Gogh.</p><p>After spacing out through the introduction to the Doctor's love of the game, John brought himself back at a good moment to listen in again.</p><p>"It was a Christmas gift from some dear dear friends of mine...well, they're practically family, depending on how you look at her...and when..." The Doctor sighed to himself. He really did miss them.</p><p>"Her?" John caught on to the strange turn of the conversation.</p><p>The Doctor snapped out of his solemness again. "Uh, yes, well, that would probably cause your little human brain to explode. It's very very confusing. <em>I </em>can barely understand it, and I have all I know written down right here!" He briefly pulled out a little notebook from his inside jacket pocket just enough to show that it was there. "And here we are!" The Doctor threw his arms out as if he was an over-joyed child showing off his new Christmas present...</p><p>
  <em>Well...</em>
</p><p>John looked around the very spacious room covered in pillows, love-seats, and blankets. It looked like a typical teenagers game room, except that it was much bigger. Given what was already shown by the Doctor's personality and the requirement of movement when playing the Wii, John was not that surprised.</p><p>"I don't have a lot of time to spend down here, but I have collected an assortment of games. My favorite is Wii sports. It reminds me of the TARDIS because it doesn't have just one game...it has several! And I made a Mii, spelled 'm-i-i' that looks just like me...with a bow tie!"</p><p>"That's...great." John tried to sound enthusiastic, but he was an adult who chased criminals while solving murders for fun. He was not a kid anymore...</p><p>"I knew you two were going to be great company!" He threw his arm around John, leading him out of the game room. "Now, let's go get Sherlock and figure out a plan."</p><p>Back in the library, Sherlock was found with several books open all over a desk. His eyes were darting from end to end, absorbing this new and fascinating information.</p><p>"I take it you are enjoying yourself, Mr. Holmes." The Doctor observed, admiring the man's thirst for knowledge.</p><p>"It beats the boring literature we have on Earth." Sherlock finished a paragraph, then got up to meet the other two. "But why is it all in English? That is not your native tongue."</p><p>"The TARDIS translates everything to your language. I'm actually speaking Gallifreyan right now. But you would have never known."</p><p>"But what about those notes on the console in the center?"</p><p>"<em>Those</em>...well..." The Doctor scratched his head. "She promised me those would be kept private."</p><p>"She?" John could not keep up with this man. Who is this 'she' that keeps coming up?</p><p>"The TARDIS is alive, remember? Did I tell you that? I don't know, but what I do know is is that I am telling you now, so." He clapped his hands together, rubbing them eagerly. "Let's figure out these angels, shall we?" They followed the Doctor back to the console room, where he started pressing buttons again.</p><p>John tilted his head, trying to keep up with the dings and bumps that the TARDIS was making as she was starting up.</p><p>"Hold on tight."</p><p>Sherlock and John both grabbed onto a bar behind them as they continued watching the Doctor with his routine of flying.</p><p>"So, I'm assuming all logic has been thrown out the window?"</p><p>Sherlock hummed in thought. "I believe so, John." They almost fell over with a jerk. "I am most certain."</p><p>"GERONIMO!"</p><p>The TARDIS whirled in glee as she flew her Doctor and companions towards their next destination.</p><hr/><p>A man stood in front of Big Ben, and he was sweating. London was always cold, especially this time of year, but he was nervous, to say the least. He waited right in front of the clock tower, looking up to check the time more out of something to do than to actually figure out what time it was. A black car pulled up, and he gulped.</p><p>Another man stepped out, a frown on his face. Although small in stature, his personality made him seem ten feet tall. A champion, if you will.</p><p>"Is he here?"</p><p>"Y-yes, sir." He pulled out a handkerchief to dab his face. How embarrassing. But when your boss is deadly, one can never be too worried.</p><p>The man nodded and walked up to the tower. He sat down on a bench and pulled out his phone. Maybe he could rob the Bank of England again? No, no, no. He did not want to repeat crimes. That was too predictable. And he is <em>so </em>changeable.</p><p>He suddenly found himself having been joined by another man, about his height and size. Popping his gum, he slid his phone back into his pocket. The other man just stared straight ahead. His mind was preoccupied with something ongoing, it seemed. The faintest sound was heard, and Jim Moriarty found it extremely annoying.</p><p>"Would you cut that out? You're driving me crazy, and we've only just met!"</p><p>The man kept tapping his briefcase, in that same rhythm that has plagued him for years. He just laughed.</p><p>"Crazy? You have no idea."</p><p>He kept tapping to the beat in his mind.</p><p>They both stopped short as a strange sound came up.</p><p>"No." The man stood up and walked forward.</p><p>Jim got up, confused. "What in the hell is that sound? Is this what you wanted to show me?"</p><p>Before their eyes, a blue box appeared out of thin air, the wind picking up around them.</p><p>"Initially, no, but we can do things out of order." He turned to look back at Jim. "More interesting, that way." He gave a mad grin.</p><p>Jim noticed it was a police box. "<em>This</em>? What's so <em>horrible</em> about a phone box?"</p><p>"It is far more than your human mind can ever comprehend."</p><p>"<em>Excuse</em> me?" Jim's temper was rising. He noticed the door to the weird box squeak open.</p><p>"Right, then, here we are at Big Ben and all of her-" The Doctor froze.</p><p>"Yes, yes, of course we know that tower. We live here and all." Sherlock stepped outside, jerking his coat around him before coming to an abrupt halt next to the Doctor. "John."</p><p>"What is it, Sherlock?" John closed the door behind him, and when he turned around, he wanted to retreat back into the TARDIS.</p><p>Neither of the five men said a word. Everyone was staring at each other in shock and disbelief.</p><p>"Hello, boys!" Jim was the first to break the uncomfortably awkward silence. "Did you miss me?"</p><p>"You shot yourself." Sherlock's eyes and brain were not agreeing right now on what was in front of him. Jim Moriarty shot himself in the <em>head</em> on the roof.</p><p>"Wasn't that a fun little game!?" Jim smiled. "I want you to meet my new friend."</p><p>The other man stepped forward. His eyes never left the Doctor. "The name's Harold Saxxon. But <em>you</em>, my dear Doctor, know me as the <em>Master.</em>"</p><p>Both of the Doctor's hearts were racing at the speed of light. He thought he was dead. He knew he was. He had died in his arms...because <em>he </em>killed him...his childhood friend. Just another person on his list of people he let down. But here he was, with that sick grin on his face.</p><p>"You're alive."</p><p>"I know, right?!" The Master laughed. "It feels good to be back."</p><p>Sherlock could already tell that there was a history of some sort between the two, but did not want to push it. Instead, his eyes were on Jim, while his guard was up around John.</p><p>"What's the matter, Sherlock? Did the Boogeyman scare you with another bad dream?" Jim teased in a sing-song voice. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but your nightmare has only just begun, and there is nothing you can do this time. I'm going to WIN!" He shouted that last word for dramatics.</p><p>Jim laughed. "I believe the Master has a present for you boys."</p><p>"Yes!" The Master laughed, bringing his hands up to his mouth. He then whistled, as if summoning a dog.</p><p>In the blink of an eye, literally, two statues appeared. The Weeping Angels had their eyes covered, just like the first time John had seen one.</p><p>"How did you?" The Doctor could not fathom what was happening right now.</p><p>Ignoring his question, the Master and Jim stepped to the side, Jim continuing to stare at the statues, protecting themselves. "Aren't these creatures simply fascinating?" The Master looked at the trio, stroking a wing affectionately. "Can't even show their true selves, but they are beautiful like this, don't you agree? I have always wondered what they really look like."</p><p>"What are you doing with the Angels?" The Doctor finally managed more than three syllables. "They are dangerous."</p><p>"Kind of the point." The Master laughed hysterically. "These are my opening act, meant to keep you and your new friends busy." He wiggled his eyebrows, implying something the Doctor could not pick up on.</p><p>"Cut to the chase, what is this game?" Sherlock was getting impatient. "All of these disappearances, causing panic in the streets, what is it all for?"</p><p>"Oh, Sherlock, trying to play the hero." Jim shook his head in disappointment. "I thought about telling you what's coming next, but that would ruin the surprise." He never took his eyes off of the statues though. But he wanted to so bad so he could see the great Sherlock Holmes baffled. "Tonight, the real show begins."</p><p>"At midnight, they should arrive." The Master explained. "And there will be chaos...murder everywhere! I'm told you like that sort of thing, don't you Sherlock Holmes?"</p><p>Sherlock did not answer.</p><p>John was not liking what he was seeing. He kept his eyes on the Angels as well. He could not imagine what this Master meant by murder everywhere, but it did not sound good.</p><p>"Sherlock."</p><p>Sherlock still stared holes into Moriarty's eyes, who were black and merciless. The Doctor's were full of hurt and remorse, as if he could fix this with a few choice words that he could not find.</p><p>The Angels stayed as they were. And they were really starting to scare John, not that he would admit it out loud. His body language did that for him.</p><p>"I think John needs saving, Sherlock." Jim pointed out. "He can't handle these nightmares like you can."</p><p>Sherlock tore his eyes away from Jim to look at John. Silently communicating, they knew what they had to do. The Doctor seemed to have caught on, and all of a sudden, the word was shouted and just before the Angels were to be released, the TARDIS door was slammed shut as she took her companions away.</p><p>"Well, that was fun." Jim pointed out as if he had just watched his favorite sitcom.</p><p>The Master snapped his fingers, and the Angels disappeared. Jim blinked, eyes watering from staring for so long.</p><p>"They're here."</p><p>Jim's eyes widened to the sight before him. He only then realized how small he was and felt like he was about to face a bully from when he was back in high school.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>O Fortuna!</em>
  </strong>
</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
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    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
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      <p>"What the <em>hell </em>was that?!" John was panting, not from physical stress, but emotional. "Is this supposed to be funny? Huh, Doctor?"</p>
      <p>The Doctor was surprised by the army doctor shouting at him. He did not seem like the type of person to just lose it. Sherlock just stared him down, taking in every twitch his eyes took.</p>
      <p>"I..." He walked up to the console and leaned forward over it, head hung low. "This was worse than I thought."</p>
      <p>"Wait, you knew?" Sherlock was getting irritated. He hated so many unknowns.</p>
      <p>"I knew the Angels were here, but I did not know this was going to have a lot of...reappearances to go along with the disappearances, quite literally."</p>
      <p>John took a deep breath. The Doctor had assured them that the TARDIS was the safest place they could be and nothing could get in without her say-so. He had calmed down only a little and sat down.</p>
      <p>Sherlock, however, was tensing up. John knew this was not going to be pretty. He just kept staring at the Doctor, who was shrinking under that hard look that John had seen often.</p>
      <p>"Does this Master of yours-"</p>
      <p>"He's not my master!" The Doctor cried. "That's...just what we call each other now. I'm the Doctor, and he's the Master. Sort of like nicknames, really." Again, that heartbroken, nostalgic look crept onto the Time Lord's face.</p>
      <p>Sherlock never missed a beat. "-have the ability to bring people back from the dead?"</p>
      <p>"No, of course not. We're Time Lords, not magicians." The Doctor waved his hands frustratingly. "But time can be re-written."</p>
      <p>"You're saying he went back in time and somehow saved Jim Moriarty from sudden death? He stopped a bullet that went through his mouth up through his skull, out the other end, killing him instantly, supposedly, all the while I am standing mere inches from him, without me seeing any of this?"</p>
      <p>"We didn't call him the Master for nothing. I suppose something like that happened."</p>
      <p>Sherlock huffed in anger and stormed off. John let out a sigh then walked over to the Doctor, who was mumbling to himself. He placed a hand on his shoulder, making the Doctor jump. He looked so confused, hurt, and scared.</p>
      <p>"Hey, it's all right. Despite what you think, he doesn't hate you." John cracked a smile. The Doctor just kept looking at him, hopeful for some encouragement that John was more than willing to give. "He gets this way all of the time when things don't always appear as they should be. So don't <em>ever </em>take anything personal from him."</p>
      <p>The Doctor nodded, then put his hand on top of John's, shoulders relaxing, if not only slightly. "Right, sorry. It's just that I thought..."</p>
      <p>"Yeah, and trust me when I say we are just as shocked as you were. Apparently, there is a way to cheat death, cause those bastards figured it out."</p>
      <p>The Doctor grimaced at the mention of death. It always haunted him, laughing in his face, dangling lives in front of him to chase after, only to be left alone and full of regret. It was the curse of the Time Lords...never being shown mercy after all of the things he has seen and done all of this time. Living was so hard</p>
      <p>"Right." John brought the Doctor back to the present. "Let's just give Sherlock some time, and he'll come around...eventually."</p>
      <p>"I'm afraid there's not much time left."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>Jim Moriarty does <em>not </em>get scared. He was just really dumbfounded. Aliens were just fantasy that some idiots claim were out there. Now, however...</p>
      <p>"IDENTIFY!" The thing...Jim was not sure how to describe it...shook with anger, two lights flashing on either side of the top like horns. What looked like a plunger was pointing right at him, but Jim knew better than to think it just as that. Another thing protruding from the thing seemed to act as an eye, since it was moving slowly up and down his person. Jim felt very vulnerable, another thing he hated.</p>
      <p>"IDENTIFY!"</p>
      <p>"Jim Moriarty...hi." He tried to play it like this was normal.</p>
      <p>"The Master failed to mention a <em>human</em>. Why must the Daleks not exterminate him right now?"</p>
      <p>Jim did not like the sound of "exterminate." But he kept his cool.</p>
      <p>"This <em>man</em> is going to help us. He is the <em>only human to not be exterminated</em>. Am I clear?" The Master raised his eyebrows. He sounded like a mother laying down the ground rules that will be met with punishment if not followed exactly.</p>
      <p>"Jim Moriarty is an ally to the Daleks. The Daleks are supreme and will allow this human to assist in domination of the human race. He will be the last human to withstand this planet's extinction of the human race."</p>
      <p>"Jim, I would like you to meet the most dangerous race in the realm of every universe since the beginning of time...the Dalek."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>Sherlock was flustered. He tried to use this library to the best of his ability, but he was just too distraught. How in the universe-forget the solar system!-did Jim Moriarty survive? Sure, he faked his own death, but shooting oneself in the head is an entirely different level of tricks that he could not deduce.</p>
      <p>He slid his arm across the table, clearing it of books and notes he had made for future reference. John had walked in just as the wood could be seen where his head soon met with almost full force.</p>
      <p>"Sherlock, I know you are upset, but can you please be considerate of this man's home?"</p>
      <p>"It was already a mess before we came." Sherlock's voice was muffled. He did not care for this lecture.</p>
      <p>"It doesn't matter. It's called...never mind, you know what I mean, but right now, we have more important things to deal with, so I suggest you try to get along with the Doctor. I know you know he has been through hell and back...maybe literally on top of all he has been through. Just...just <em>try</em>, ok?"</p>
      <p>Sherlock knew John was right. He just hated having to sit and hear it. "Fine." He slowly got up like a teenager begrudgingly getting out of bed when it was past noon. He followed John back to the Doctor, who was fiddling with the console again. He had a screen pulled out, typing away. His eyes were focusing through his glasses.</p>
      <p>"We've got trouble."</p>
      <p>"Yesss..." Sherlock summoned every bit of self-control he had to not point out the obvious in a disrespectful way, so he did the best he could do, given the circumstances.</p>
      <p>"No, the Angels are dangerous, but they can be controlled by the Master, and since the TARDIS hasn't picked up on any more of their activity, they've been sent off until further notice. However, a new ally has joined forces."</p>
      <p>"Who...or, what...is it this time?" John did not know how he had so quickly accepted the fact that aliens and monsters were a part of life right now. It was like any old case...with the addition of extraterrestrial beings wanting to destroy the world. Not that different.</p>
      <p>The Doctor turned the screen so Sherlock and John could see it. They both squinted, trying to figure out what it was.</p>
      <p>"It's called a Dalek. The most evil, deadly, heartless piece of existence you will ever hear of." The Doctor's voice did that thing again, along with his eyes. John was picking up on it just as much as Sherlock. Sherlock figured that these Daleks had something to do with the destruction of the Doctor's planet and people. He was sure he was right.</p>
      <p>"Bit not good?" Sherlock asked no one in particular.</p>
      <p>"Yeah...maybe a little more than that..."</p>
      <p>"It's going to be fine though, really, because we've got a pretty good team thingy going here." The Doctor pointed out. "And if we put our heads together, we can save the world and the universe in no time at all." He paused. "Well, actually, it will take time, since, of course, everything takes time. There's really no easy way to do that, since it's really not possible, so in that case-"</p>
      <p>"Doctor." Sherlock hated when he went off on these ramblings. Is this what it was like for others listening to him? No, of course not, every word he said had a point that was relative to what was important at the moment.</p>
      <p>"Yes, hello." John just looked at the Doctor. He really was mad, was he? "Right! Of course! I've located the Daleks, where I am sure the Angels, the Master, and this Jim fellow are hanging out. Let's call it their evil lair. That sounds cooler. Hang on to your heads! We're going to their evil lair!"</p>
      <p>Before the Doctor finished, the TARDIS was taking off. John and Sherlock once again were thrown off balance.</p>
      <p>"Could you possibly try to remember what you learned when you first drove this thing?" Sherlock yelled.</p>
      <p>"Not possible! I never learned in the first place!"</p>
      <p>"What?!" John was horrified. The lunatic did not know how to drive this thing?</p>
      <p>"I just stole her and ran away!"</p>
      <p>"Why?"</p>
      <p>"Why not?" He flung another knob. "GERONIMOOOOOOO!"</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <em>velet luna</em>
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</p><p>"How do you know <em>where</em>..." John was flung forward, but his hands gripped the bars for dear life. "Moriarty and those aliens are?"</p><p>Sherlock was shifting only slightly. John envied his poise. Another sway of the TARDIS caused another jerk, this time irritating his shoulder. "Damn."</p><p>"Okay! We have arrived!" The Doctor landed her like he always did, mashing on those breaks. <em>Brilliant noise. I love that noise. </em>"Now, let's go be sneaky and figure out a plan to overcome their plan once we figure out said plan that is not ours, but theirs."</p><p>John wondered if this man, Time Lord, whatever, actually formulated the words that come out of his mouth, or if it was just like "word vomit."</p><p>The night was still and eerily quiet. The Doctor stopped and turned to his companions. "Right then, since this is your line of expertise, I'll leave you two to it then, ha! I'll cover you." He flashed his screwdriver. John let Sherlock lead, giving the consulting detective room to take in their surroundings. It was Bodiam Castle, hundreds of years old.</p><p>"I remember good ol' Richard number two invited me for tea here. But then the French tried to invade and it got really messy." The Doctor recalled, sticking his tongue in and out as if trying to rid himself of a bad taste. "FYI do not <em>ever</em> put gunpowder in tea. It simply ruins it."</p><p>"Doctor, may I ask you to please keep your thoughts to yourself?" Sherlock kept moving.</p><p>John paused then turned to the Doctor. "He actually said 'please,' a rarity for him, so I would take his advice." He smirked.</p><p>The Doctor laughed quietly. "Is he always like this when he's playing detective?"</p><p>"Yes." John sighed. "But he's bloody brilliant."</p><p>"Indeed, my fellow doctor of another profession."</p><p>They came up to the moat of the castle, the water gently rushing in a continuous pattern. It looked murky, so there was no way to tell what was below the surface. The drawbridge was up, of course, for the enemy did not want them to interfere. Sherlock stopped a couple of feet before the edge and crouched down. He shined his torch over what looked like sliding marks then smooth mud that blended into the water.</p><p>"What do you think?"</p><p>Sherlock did not answer John's question. The drawbridge would not reach this far, and it would not make this shape when it landed. It did not look like it had been opened for a very long time. Footprints stopped just behind the marks. One pair he knew for sure was Moriarty's, recognizing that style of designer shoes anywhere, and the other had to be the Master.</p><p>The Doctor analyzed the markings with his screwdriver, then stared at it. John and even Sherlock had no idea how that thing worked. To them, the sound was almost like nails on a chalkboard.</p><p>"It's them. The Daleks. They stopped here and carried the two men over the walls."</p><p>"They can fly? Those big medal things you showed us pictures of?" John could not imagine how a bulky thing of metal like a Dalek could fly, but stranger things have happened in the past twenty-four hours.</p><p>"There's no other way to get in, then." Sherlock stated, eyeing every inch of the castle. Through the windows of the castle, no lights could be seen, but in the central courtyard, fire was burning with smoke billowing into the air.</p><p>"John." Sherlock's eyes widened. They all turned around to see an Angel calmly pointing at the Doctor's screwdriver, staring at him.</p><p>"Don't mock me!" The Doctor whined. "It's very very useful 90% of the time!"</p><p>"Doctor, what?"</p><p>"Mmmm...not quite. Sorry, um. The Angel is pointing at my screwdriver because it knows that I cannot open this door."</p><p>"Why not?"</p><p>"Well, while it can open or close anything in the entire universe, it's Achilles heel is...wood."</p><p>"You have <em>got</em> to be joking." Sherlock rolled his eyes, not concerned, knowing John was going to stare at that statue enough for all three of them.</p><p>"It's extremely irritating." The Doctor frowned.</p><p>"<em>EXTREME! EXTREME! THE DOCTOR IS HERE!</em>"</p><p>Jumping out of their skins, a light cut through the darkness, moving slowly towards them.</p><p>"THE DOCTOR IS HERE WITH HUUUMANSSS! THEY MUST COME TO THE MASTER AND MR. MORIARTY IMMEDIATELY!"</p><p>John could not believe how terrifying something could look while sounding more annoying than Sherlock on any given day. Even though it stood only a hair taller than himself, John felt even smaller standing next to Sherlock and the Doctor. Its presence alone made it seem huge.</p><p>"Well, then take us to your leader!" The Doctor laughed. "Sorry, I always love saying that."</p><p>"TAKE THE DOCTOR AND JOHN WATSON AND SHERLOCK HOLMES TO THE MASTER AND MR. MORIARTY!"</p><p>The drawbridge creaked open slightly before falling down with a thud that shook the earth around them. Dust fogged everyone's visions, but they did not stop moving backwards all while keeping eyes locked on the Angel, which had its fangs showing, pointing behind them to the opened doorway.</p><p>"GO AWAY! YOU ARE NOT NEEDED AT THIS TIME!" The Dalek ordered the Angel, who disappeared in a blink of an eye.</p><p>"OK, we're going. Come along Holmes'zzzzz...right, that sounds weird. Come along Watson's."</p><p>"We're not a...um..." John did not know why he was stuttering. Might have had to do with a terrifying statue and obnoxious tube yelling behind him. Yeah, that was it.</p><p>"Let's just get on with it." Sherlock was put out. John could tell he wanted to have a chance to study the interior of the castle in silence <em>before </em>getting caught. Nothing really goes according to plan. With the Doctor, things were more spontaneous.</p><p>A laugh shrieked through the stone walls, sending chills down all three of the men's spines. The Dalek's plunger, as John decided to call it since that was what it looked like, was too close for comfort almost poking his back. He tried to not physically show the discomfort of something supposedly so dangerous anywhere near him. Coming up to a door, the Doctor turned and looked the Dalek face on.</p><p>"Well, since everyone seems to get a kick out of my relationship with wood, have a go then."</p><p>"THE DOCTOR AND HIS HUMANS WILL SEE THE MASTER AND MR. MORIARTY IMMEDIATELY!"</p><p>"We understand, you stupid piece of metal with your plunger and your, your, whisk!" Sherlock snapped.</p><p>The Dalek did not say anything. The laughing only grew louder as the doors opened themselves. They could see the Master and Moriarty doubling over.</p><p>"Oh, dearie, you are so impatient today! Did you have someone besides John make your tea this morning?" Moriarty teased. Sherlock just stared. John crossed his arms, once again hiding his confused and shaken up form.</p><p>"I'm so glad you invited us to your little party. The fire looks great with the castle and everything. That was how Richard liked it." The Doctor paced as he smiled like meeting old friends for a get together. Technically, he was meeting one. "I've been meaning to have a chat with you boys anyway."</p><p>"I hate to burst your bubble, <em>Doctor</em>." The Master sternly stated. "But we did not bring you in just to be nice. You of all people should know I am not like that."</p><p>"Not any more." The Doctor corrected.</p><p>"Care to play a game?" Jim was still treating it like a party, him being the one who was bored and wanted to do something exciting to liven things up.</p><p>"Games? I love games! Let's see who can outsmart who. My team is going to win because not only am I smart, but I have two of the brightest humans I have ever met! So I have you beat! It's two against three. Doesn't seem fair? Well, then let's just all put all of our guns down, metaphorically speaking, and just talk. There is no need for...whatever it is you're planning on doing with the Angels and the Daleks." The Doctor's eyes were pleading, although his tone was light.</p><p>"I'm afraid it has already begun." The Master said in mock disappointment. "Soon, this world will be destroyed, and we," He motioned between himself and Jim. "Will rebuild a better world for a better future. One that's not so...so..."</p><p>"<em>Boring</em>." Jim finished. He was staring into Sherlock's soul, it seemed.</p><p>Sherlock could not help but feel a little self-conscious since he <em>hated </em>boring so much. He was not boring, was he?</p><p>"So you're going to use these statues and robots to cause world-wide panic and expect us to stand aside?" Sherlock laughed. "I thought you knew me better than that."</p><p>"Oh, you're going to do <em>exactly </em>as I say." Jim raised his eyebrows. "Because you don't want anything else to happen to dear Johnny boy."</p><p>Sherlock did not even ask what he meant by "else" and turned to see John with pain written all over his face. An Angel's hand had his arm with the bad shoulder twisted behind his back. It happened so fast.</p><p>"John."</p><p>"I don't know exactly where, or should I say <em>when </em>they will send your John to, but the Master has informed me that he will die and he will die all alone, slowly and painfully. Please do as we ask, Sherlock, because I have something much better planned for you all."</p><p>"No, just let him go, it's me who's the problem." The Doctor knew they were beat, at least for this round. He could not risk losing John, because while they would be searching for him all over time and space, the world could be destroyed ten times over by the time he was found.</p><p>"This is just like you, Doctor. Always trying to save people, when you and I both know all you do is end up disappointing them. You leave them heartbroken. Remember River?"</p><p>The Doctor swallowed hard.</p><p>"Well, Donna doesn't remember you."</p><p>The Doctor looked down in shame.</p><p>"Martha <em>left</em> you, you were so pitiful, like some sick puppy."</p><p>"Please."</p><p>"You can't even take care of your own family. Who gave you the right to say how I do things?"</p><p>The Doctor said nothing.</p><p>"And don't even get me started on what you did to <em>her</em>."</p><p>"I-I'm warning you." The Doctor's voice was shaking, threatening to break completely into sorrow. For so long, he had bottled up all of these memories that hurt so bad. And now, they all flashed back into his broken hearts.</p><p>"No, I'm warning <em>you</em>." The Master jabbed a finger into the Doctor's chest. The Doctor stepped back from the forced contact. "Stay out of our way, or you will be sorry. You thought you were in pain now...just wait." He whispered.</p><p>"Can we just stop with the useless threats and actually <em>do </em>something." Jim really was getting bored again. He did not want to rehash history. The past was to be forgotten. He was more of a "big picture in the future" kind of guy.</p><p>"I agree." Sherlock said, staring hard at John's captor. He came up to John's face. "I'm sorry."</p><p>"You're wha-AAAAAAHHHHHH! WHAT THE HELL, SHERLOCK?" John held his shoulder, which was freshly bruised. "Did you just yank me out of a piece of stone?"</p><p>"You're welcome."</p><p>The Doctor did not give them time to celebrate. Using his screwdriver, he produced an extremely high frequency that sent everyone to their knees. Pointing it away from Sherlock and John, he helped them up and they ran out of the castle, leaving the Master writhing on the floor, Moriarty uncomfortable as well.</p><p>"DOCTOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRR!" The Master screamed after him. The drums were louder than ever.</p><p>On the other side of the drawbridge, the Doctor looked back at the Master on the floor, his hands holding his head. "I'm so sorry."</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Like the moon</em>
  </strong>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
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      <p>The drawbridge was brought up, shutting Sherlock, John, and the Doctor out of the castle. The Doctor stood and stared for a while, the cries of agony still echoing through the walls, even though his sonic had stopped. He remembered when the Master had told him of the drums inside his head. He knew it drove him to be this way. He hated hurting him even more, but he had to give John and Sherlock a means of escape.</p>
      <p>"Doctor?! Come on!" Sherlock called, pushing John in front of him. John was hissing in pain with his shoulder. His leg was giving out on him.</p>
      <p>The Doctor snapped out of it and ran with the others back to the TARDIS.</p>
      <p>"We need to regroup." Sherlock pointed out.</p>
      <p>The Doctor did not say anything. He slammed the door shut to the TARDIS, immediately regretting being so harsh to her.</p>
      <p>"I'm so sorry." He stroked the door apologetically. She took off, leaving the castle behind.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>Jim's ears were ringing. He felt dizzy and confused and angry. He looked around of course to find Sherlock and the others were gone.</p>
      <p>Great.</p>
      <p>He looked over to see the Master holding his head in pain.</p>
      <p>"What is wrong with you? It's not that terrible." Jim thought he was being a wimp. Sure, whatever the Doctor did with his screwdriver was irritating, but it was not life-threatening.</p>
      <p>The Master stood up slowly. "You don't know what it's like." He shook his head as if he had a chill. His focus was somewhere beyond this Earth.</p>
      <p>"I don't think I want to know." Jim looked around at the Angels posted at each entrance. When did they get here? And how many of them were actually here? He only admitted to himself that those statues really did creep him out. He wished they could just chase after Sherlock instead of linger around him. He saw one staring right at him. The Master had assured them that they would never kill him, via his direct orders. Jim was still uncomfortable around them, though.</p>
      <p>"Go away." Jim told it matter-of-factly. The Angel just stared, its hands cupped right under its chin as if asking for money. Jim kept wondering what they really looked like when no one was looking. Curiosity killed the cat, but when did he ever back down when death was a subject?</p>
      <p>"THE DOCTOR HAS ESCAPED! WE MUST EXTERMINATE THE DOCTOR! EXTERMIN-" The Dalek squealed as it fell over on its side.</p>
      <p>"Will you SHUT UP?!" The Master jumped on top of its side, then started laughing. He fell off the side, holding stomach as he rolled on the ground.</p>
      <p>Jim took this as more evidence to the fact that this alien, man, thing, had really lost his marbles. He looked more and more ordinary the longer he stuck around the Master. How boring. At least that shut that Dalek up. Every time a Dalek spoke, Jim just wanted to exterminate himself so he would not have to listen to them announce everything. They were stupid, but their army was a necessity.</p>
      <p>"Well, that was fun! We gave them quite a scare, didn't we?" The Master jumped around like a kid.</p>
      <p>Jim, although pleased with the little episode they just had, was still unsatisfied. "I really wanted to blow something up." He mumbled.</p>
      <p>"Oh, don't worry, Jimmy." The Master threw an arm around him.</p>
      <p>"It's <em>Jim</em>." He shoved the Master's arm off, straightening his suit. Honestly, this man had <em>no </em>class.</p>
      <p>"Oh, so you can call John 'Johnny', but I can't call you 'Jimmy'?"</p>
      <p>"What are we, five?" Jim rolled his eyes.</p>
      <p>"Least I'm not boring like that Sherlock fellow. He's such a stuck-up."</p>
      <p>"You've got that right."</p>
      <p>"And that little one. He's spunky. I like him!"</p>
      <p>"He is fun to play with. I strapped a bomb to him once."</p>
      <p>"Really? Can we do it again?"</p>
      <p>"I'm not one for repeating a stunt. Besides, I want something bigger for my boys. Your Doctor can join in, too."</p>
      <p>"Oh, well, see, the thing is, you can't kill him. Not really."</p>
      <p>"What, he's invincible?"</p>
      <p>"He is a Time Lord, like myself. We can't die. We can only regenerate, new face, new body, new everything."</p>
      <p>"So he has to live and watch everyone die." Jim smiled. "How dreadful."</p>
      <p>"The curse of the Time Lords. Death will never show him mercy."</p>
      <p>"Nor you, either."</p>
      <p>"Yes, but I'm fine! I don't have a conscience!"</p>
      <p>"Mhm..." Jim raised his eyebrows.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>The TARDIS stayed put orbiting the Earth, keeping its passengers safe until they could come up with a plan of action. But she knew her Doctor needed time. So she gave it to him. Nobody could hurt him up here.</p>
      <p>John was gritting his teeth as he slowly slumped his jacket off, then started to unbutton his shirt to have a better look at his shoulder. The bruise was all sorts of colors. Extremely tender, he applied a cool, damp towel to ease the inflammation. He sighed in relief at the touch.</p>
      <p>"John?"</p>
      <p>John looked up in the mirror to see Sherlock standing in the doorway. He looked terrible, granted after all they had just witnessed, who would not be a little shaken up?</p>
      <p>"I...truly am sorry about your shoulder. I was only trying to-"</p>
      <p>"I know, it's all right. It was the pain talking. And thank-you." John turned around to face him.</p>
      <p>Sherlock's eyes went to John's exposed skin. It was dark compared to his paled complexion, yet so toned and fit, he could not <em>not </em>stare at him.</p>
      <p>"Sherlock?"</p>
      <p>He snapped out of it. "Um...yes, well, I best leave you to it, then." He mumbled something about going to ask the Doctor a question as John just smiled.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Did Sherlock Holmes just check me out?</em>
      </p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"Doctor, can I ask you something?"</p>
      <p>The Doctor closed his eyes in dread. He knew this was coming. He looked at Sherlock and held on to the TARDIS with one hand as if holding a friend's for support. She hummed, saying to him that it was going to be OK.</p>
      <p>"I know you have quite a history in the past and future as far as my perspective in the present is concerned. It is a rather tough subject for you, and you've met people, you had even fallen in love..." Sherlock cursed himself for his rambling when he noticed the sorrow written all over the Doctor's face. "I suspect you keep doing...whatever it is you do as a means of righting your wrongs, and I just wanted to say that I have the utmost respect for you. I would hope that whatever Moriarty and the Master have in store will be quickly dealt with with as less casualties as possible, and then perhaps we could meet again...on a lighter note."</p>
      <p>The Doctor perked up at that. "Really?"</p>
      <p>"I find this extremely fascinating, and, with your permission, I would like to explore these new worlds I have read about and you have spoken of. John was right...not only is the solar system important, but the entirety of the universe is-"</p>
      <p>"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" John stepped up to the platform, a huge smile on his face. "I need to write this down." He turned to the Doctor, pointing at Sherlock. "<em>He </em>just said that <em>I </em>was right about something. That <em>never </em>happens! Sherlock, are you well?"</p>
      <p>"In spite of all of the shock I have been through recently, I can say I have never been better. This is our most exciting case yet." He smirked.</p>
      <p>The Doctor smiled. "Of course! You and John can see all of time and space and be back no later than five minutes from the moment I took you. Time travel is cool."</p>
      <p>"That would be incredible! Thank-you, Doctor!" John looked like he had won the lottery. He was still shocked over the fact that Sherlock was even interested.</p>
      <p>"But we do have a dilemma." Sherlock changed the tone of conversation. "The Angels have to be taken care of first and foremost, since they are more of a threat than the Daleks."</p>
      <p>"You sure, Sherlock?" John, although he agreed, did not want to rule out the Daleks. They were huge! Well, compared to him, since he was a little shorter than them.</p>
      <p>"I can handle a Dalek." The Doctor threw his hand as if it was no big deal. "I can talk their ears off long enough for you two to sneak behind it and put an explosive device on it and then BOOM! No more Dalek!"</p>
      <p>"It's that simple?"</p>
      <p>"Well, John, with their limited mobility and range of sight, it would be rather easy to attack from behind. And with the Doctor's profound use of words, we will have ample time to destroy them. The real problem is going to be the Master, Moriarty, and the Angels. Which is why <em>I </em>will hide in a dark corner and stare at any Angel that comes near you two."</p>
      <p>The Doctor ran off for a second, banging and clanging down the hallway. John and Sherlock just looked at each other. The Doctor was the definition of ADD.</p>
      <p>"Sorry, I've got just the thing to get rid of the Angels."</p>
      <p>"Can we kill them?" Sherlock asked.</p>
      <p>"Well, no, but we can send them somewhere far away where they can't hurt anyone, using this." The Doctor held up a device Sherlock and John did not recognize. "This is a vortex manipulator. It can open a portal to suck the Angles in."</p>
      <p>"OK..." John's head was beginning to hurt from the confusion again.</p>
      <p>"But what about us? Won't we be sucked in from the force?"</p>
      <p>"Well, we'll just have to hold onto something really really sturdy, then." The Doctor smiled. "You've had lots of practice flying with me in the TARDIS. Shouldn't be a problem."</p>
      <p>"Do you really think this is going to work?" Although John trusted Sherlock's brain to come up with a doable plan, he was still skeptical, beings that they had never dealt with monsters nor aliens before. Afghanistan looked more like a holiday every day.</p>
      <p>"I think it's a great plan!" The Doctor exclaimed. "And it will stop their plan, so we'll save the Earth! Yea<em>ooooooooooooooooooo</em>!"</p>
      <p>The TARDIS spun out of control. Sparks flew and the console was on fire. Glass was breaking and a bright light blinded them.</p>
      <p>"WE'RE BEING PULLED BACK INTO THE ATMOSPHERE! HANG ON!"</p>
      <p>John and Sherlock tried to cling to something as the Doctor whooped in excitement. The TARDIS landed with a crash into something hard at a slight angle. A cry was heard as if someone had been killed.</p>
      <p>"Please tell me we did not just kill someone." John begged. He did not want to get chased by the police...again. One time was enough, whilst being handcuffed to Sherlock.</p>
      <p>"Would be a quick case, since we committed the crime."</p>
      <p>"Sherlock! This is serious!"</p>
      <p>"I'm being serious! But where and <em>when</em> are we, Doctor?"</p>
      <p>The fire was dying down, but glass and gadgets were everywhere. The lights were out, so it was hard to see. After a few moments, the TARDIS lit up again.</p>
      <p>The Doctor looked at the screen. "We are still in the present year, but we have just changed locations." He opened the TARDIS and looked down, even though they were only two feet off the ground. He could still hear the screaming and cursing. "We're in America."</p>
      <p>"I'M GOING TO KILL THEM! CAS, I SWEAR TO YOU I'M GOING TO KILL THEM!"</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>
        <strong>
          <em>statu variabilis</em>
        </strong>
      </p>
      <p>"Great, we haven't even made it out the door, and we're already America's most wanted." John did not like Americans...at all. They always shoot first, and ask questions later.</p>
      <p>"A good old, very old friend of mine is American. Surprising fellow, can't get rid of him if you try." The Doctor saw Sherlock roll his eyes, so he cut himself off before he went on about a tale or two. Maybe he was ADD...would explain a lot...</p>
      <p>"John, I've got an idea-" Sherlock was cut off by a boot banging on the door.</p>
      <p>"<em>Get the hell out you sons of bitches!</em>"</p>
      <p>"<em>Dean! Hang on!</em>" Some shuffling was heard.</p>
      <p>"Oi!" The Doctor opened the door to the TARDIS and inspected it and was relieved to find not even a scratch. There was a muddy boot mark, though. "She's all dirty from your cowboy boots and your...<em>oooooooooooooooohhhhhhh...</em>" The Doctor jumped down to face the men in front of him. He looked at the angry one. "I am so so so so sorry..."</p>
      <p>The man gave him a look of mock sympathy. "Well, now that that's settled, I guess we can go on our merry way in my car. Oh, wait, I <em>can't</em>!"</p>
      <p>"Dean..." The taller one stepped forward, shoving the shorter one back. "You'll have to excuse my brother. He has a...special bond with his vehicle."</p>
      <p>"I know what you mean..." The Doctor looked back. "I'm the Doctor, by the way, and these blokes with me are Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John Watson." The Doctor smiled. "He's a <em>real </em>doctor, very cool."</p>
      <p>"I'm sorry, Doctor..."</p>
      <p>"Just the Doctor."</p>
      <p>"OK...I'm Sam, you've unfortunately met my brother Dean-"</p>
      <p>"Hey! They destroyed her! Look at her Sam! She's flat as a pancake..." Dean stopped, picturing some blackberry pancakes with whipped cream and-<em>focus, Dean, these British assholes just destroyed Baby!</em></p>
      <p>"I'm Castiel." A man in a trench coat stepped forward.</p>
      <p>"Pleasure." John stepped forward, offering his hand, which Castiel took with a smile.</p>
      <p>The Doctor looked at Castiel as if trying to crack a code. Castiel nodded. "Remember me? I know it's you."</p>
      <p>"Cas! Sorry, changing bodies kinda kinks up the memory sometimes. It's been..." The Doctor looked up in deep thought.</p>
      <p>"Long time." Cas answered.</p>
      <p>"Right, well then, now that we're all acquainted and...reunited..." Dean looked at Cas. <em>Cas knows this nut job?</em> "Can we get back to my car?!"</p>
      <p>"Dean, that's not why she brought them here." Cas sounded a little put out, as if he has tried but failed to get Dean to focus on things other than his car.</p>
      <p>"Wait, what?" Sam raised his eyebrows. "You brought them here in a phone box that's very out-dated?"</p>
      <p>"Sorry, it worked for a while when they were still a thing...time travel...it's a disguise."</p>
      <p>"I called to her, and she came."</p>
      <p>"Again with the she...is it really?" John was still trying to wrap his brain around this TARDIS. It was awe-inspiring, but very confusing.</p>
      <p>"Yes, we've been through so much, haven't we, girl?" The Doctor leaned back on the TARDIS.</p>
      <p>Sam and Dean looked at each other.</p>
      <p>"And you thought <em>I </em>was the only one?" Dean teased.</p>
      <p>"Time Lord wibbly wobbly stuff." The Doctor threw out.</p>
      <p>"He's insane."</p>
      <p>"Dean." Sam looked so done.</p>
      <p>"Back on subject, please." Sherlock did not like Americans either, and these boys and this...special one...Sherlock could not quite put his finger on exactly who this Castiel was. He lost concentration on his deducing with all of this bickering about a car. Honestly! "You called the TARDIS?"</p>
      <p>"She is very loyal to those of her choosing." Cas explained. "She always comes whenever I call no matter where or when she is." Cas paused as if listening. "I am sorry, Doctor, I know you were...troubled by recent events. But that is why-"</p>
      <p>"I know why you call." The Doctor interrupted. "But I can't...the world is at stake."</p>
      <p>"We are here to help." Cas finished.</p>
      <p>"Help? What's wrong?" Sam asked.</p>
      <p>"Oh, just the usual...aliens, statues that move, people coming back from the dead, stupid giant robots with plungers..."</p>
      <p>"Sounds just about as crazy as our lives." Dean said. "Demons, ghosts, werewolves, vampires, witches, the Boogeyman!"</p>
      <p>"Oh Go-" Sherlock was cut off. His voice was silenced.</p>
      <p>"Don't you <em>dare</em>." Cas warned. Sam, Dean, and the Doctor took a big step back.</p>
      <p>Sherlock sucked in a breath. "You're..."</p>
      <p>"I am an angel of the Lord."</p>
      <p>John froze. He did not dare speak his mind at the moment. Sherlock blinked a couple of times. "...right..."</p>
      <p>"You have no faith." Cas was staring at Sherlock. Sherlock felt like he was literally looking into his soul. And now, he was sure of it.</p>
      <p>"I...but..."</p>
      <p>"You are a man of logic. Sherlock, the Lord has blessed you with a mind that could rival any other. But you are only human..."</p>
      <p>Sherlock's brain was struggling. It was all real? Not just some sentimental thing that someone started years ago like any other religion out there? That would explain the presence this man, no, <em>angel </em>had about him. It was not cockiness...or pride...it was faith. Something Sherlock left behind early on in childhood that he had pushed back into his mind palace, wanting to delete, but he just could not for some reason.</p>
      <p>And this was why.</p>
      <p>"I..."</p>
      <p>"Sherlock..." John sounded scared. </p>
      <p>"Don't be afraid. I am not here to force anything upon you. I'm only here to help. But promise me you will not speak of Him that way again."</p>
      <p>Sherlock nodded.</p>
      <p>"Aaaaaaaaaand we're done." Dean <em>hated </em>it when someone pissed Cas off like that. He <em>knows </em>the consequences better than anyone. "Let's go kick some alien ass!"</p>
      <p>"I'm assuming we're going to go in that...what was it again?" Sam asked.</p>
      <p>"It's the TARDIS! Time and relative dimension in space! Sexy for short..." The Doctor raised a brow with a growing, mischievous grin.</p>
      <p>"She is a beauty." Dean walked up to it, then looked down. "You're still my number one and only."</p>
      <p>"All right, can we stop with the flirting and get on with it? It is, after all, the end of the world." John felt more awkward than when Sherlock was going at it with Irene Adler naked.</p>
      <p>"Right! First on the list, save the world! Then, fix Dean's car! Then vacation destination wherever!" The Doctor opened the door, holding it open for everyone.</p>
      <p>"No offense, dude, but, my personal bubble might get popped with six of us in your flying TAR-thingy."</p>
      <p>"Go on in, Dean." Cas prodded.</p>
      <p>"Ok, just to pre-warn everyone I had a bean burrito for lunch and-"</p>
      <p>"Dean, grow up!" Sam threw over his shoulder at his brother.</p>
      <p>"I'm being a good friend by preparing you for-sonofabitch." Dean and Sam had seen a lot of things. Terrible things, amazing things, scary things...but they were not expecting this.</p>
      <p>"So, it's not like the Twilight Zone."</p>
      <p>"Dean, we're not in Disney World."</p>
      <p>"It's <em>huge</em>...in a neat little package..." Dean stared at all of the alien technology around him.</p>
      <p>"<em>That</em>...is new. I like that." The Doctor pointed at Dean. "You Americans really are something."</p>
      <p>"Hey! Time travel, right?" Dean had a light bulb figuratively going off.</p>
      <p>"Correctamundo!" The Doctor widened his eyes then slapped his forehead. "I swore I would never say that again!"</p>
      <p>"Before we save the world, can we stop by Ancient Egypt and-"</p>
      <p>"No, Dean, we are not going to let you go and seduce the Pharoah of Egypt and destroy history!"</p>
      <p>"Oh, c'mon, Sammy! I'll share!"</p>
      <p>"I'm surrounded by children." Sherlock walked off, rolling his eyes, towards the library.</p>
      <p>"To England! GERONIMO!"</p>
      <p>After the TARDIS had roughly landed in the woods far enough away from the castle, Sam could not get over the technology, asking the Doctor questions, wanting to learn as much as possible.</p>
      <p>"Class dismissed." Dean drug Sam away from the console before he hit the self-destruct button, if it had one. Dean would not be surprised.</p>
      <p>Cas saw John standing in the corner with a heavy expression. He walked over to him. John noticed, and jumped back, a look of dread as he slowly backed away.</p>
      <p>"John?"</p>
      <p>"I've done things..."</p>
      <p>"If you ask, all will be forgiven."</p>
      <p>"But I've-"</p>
      <p>"You can trust me."</p>
      <p>Trust. That was something John learned to do while serving. Without trust, the troops were not an army. He had faith in them, leaving God out of the picture. And now, a soldier of His army has come, and all of the regret of those he killed, tried but failed to save, every life he saw leave came flooding back to him in vivid memories.</p>
      <p>John just shook his head, then walked out of the TARDIS, Cas waiting a few moments before heading out.</p>
      <p>War was coming. And they had to trust each other to win.</p>
      <p>Once outside, the Doctor was throwing his hands around, trying to explain to Sam and Dean what they were up against.</p>
      <p>"Like vampires?"</p>
      <p>"They're statues, Dean, they can't suck your blood."</p>
      <p>"But fangs-"</p>
      <p>"They are rather sharp, though. I got poked by one once. Hurts." He rubbed his arm like it had just happened. "But you can't blink. If you see one, just stare at it. It can't move while being seen by a biological being."</p>
      <p>"Uh huh...like red light, green light."</p>
      <p>"This is the...adult version of that game, but YES! I do like that game. Have lots of practice, so."</p>
      <p>"And these Daleks?" Sam wondered.</p>
      <p>"They are the reincarnation of evil...outside of Hell, of course." The Doctor looked at Cas. "A race with only hatred and destruction instilled in them. They kill everything that is not a Dalek, well, except for the Master and Jim Moriarty..."</p>
      <p>"<em>I guess you could call us special</em>."</p>
      <p>They all looked out at the bushes, a man walking out. Jim smiled.</p>
      <p>"Hello again. Did you bring more boys? Oh, this is fun! Such a good-looking bunch. And they're so young! You poor babies. Did the Boogeyman scare you?"</p>
      <p>"How did you-"</p>
      <p>"Everyone who's anyone knows the name <em>Winchester</em>." Jim laughed. "Your father actually saved my life once, killing the monster in my closet that Mummy swore was just my imagination. He was the only one that believed me." He looked at Cas. "I don't know you, dearie."</p>
      <p>"I'm Castiel, an-"</p>
      <p>"He's my friend." Dean interjected.</p>
      <p>"<em>Friend</em>." Jim spat. "You use that word quite often, don't you, Sherlock?"</p>
      <p>"For the only one I have, yes."</p>
      <p>"Bor-ring!" Jim sang. "Let's just get this over with. Come on out everybody!"</p>
      <p>The TARDIS' light flickered.</p>
      <p>"Nononononono!" The Doctor saw the Weeping Angels surrounding the TARDIS. "</p>
      <p>"DOCCC-TAAAAAAA! IT'S THE DOCTA! AND THE HUMANSSSSSSS!" The Dalek came forward, then stopped, it's "eye" stopping on the new additions to the group. "YOU ARE WINCHESTERS!"</p>
      <p>"And you are a massive pepper shaker." Dean shot back.</p>
      <p>"THE DALEKS WILL NOT TOLERATE SUCH LANGUAGE! YOU MUST BE EXTERMINATED!"</p>
      <p>"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the junkyard this morning."</p>
      <p>"YOU ARE NOT HUMAN!" The Dalek went up to Cas, who just stared him down.</p>
      <p>"No, I am not."</p>
      <p>
        <strong>
          <em>You are changeable.</em>
        </strong>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"IDENTIFY! UNKNOWN SPECIES, IDENTIFY!" The Dalek shook, hating not knowing.</p><p>Cas just smirked.</p><p>Jim backed off from the Dalek like it was the plague. "I thought you were smart."</p><p>"And evil." The Doctor added on.</p><p>"So? Isn't he a Time Lord or something?"</p><p>"Well, then, this piece of crap wouldn't be having a spasm now, would it?" Dean had that smart-ass look on his face.</p><p>"WHAT IS IT? EXPLAAAAIN...EXPLAAAAAAAAAAAAIN!"</p><p>"I can feel a migraine going on." Jim rubbed his temples. These Daleks were going to be the death of him, which would not include them shooting him. He would find himself lucky to have that sort of fate.</p><p>"What I am is none of your concern at the moment."</p><p>"Hang on a minute." Jim stared at Cas then at Sherlock then back to Cas. "Oh my...Sherlock, you have a little mini you running around."</p><p>"What?" Sherlock blinked a couple of times, forgetting about-whatever <em>it </em>was.</p><p>"Look at him, being all <em>mysterious </em>with his coat and such a serious face." Jim pouted mockingly as he danced around Cas, who just kept his gaze forward. "I better be careful around you, otherwise I'd cut myself on your cheekbones-"</p><p>"Hey, Candy Ass! Why don't you back off before I start shoving some up your ass!" Dean shouted.</p><p>Jim had this "ah-ha" look on his face. "Oooooooo...someone's getting jealous. Honey-"</p><p>"Don't you <em>honey </em>me, sunshine."</p><p>"Americans are so <em>rude</em>." Jim turned back to Sherlock and John. "Are they always like this?"</p><p>"Regrettably, he is." John nodded to Dean.</p><p>"Well, it's extremely upsetting and-" <strong><em>BOOM! </em></strong>"hahaha...here he comes."</p><p>Sherlock looked at the sight before him, seeing the Master whooping in the distance, coming towards them with their army.</p><p>"What's the matter, Sherlock?" Jim was suddenly standing right next to him, talking into his ear. "Can't think your way out of this one?"</p><p>The marching was repetitive and noisy. It was moving as a unit. The echo made everyone but Cas really nervous.</p><p>"Hello!" The Master soon joined Jim and the Dalek, who had finally calmed down enough to maintain composure. "Did I miss anything?"</p><p>"Well, we have some <em>fine </em>additions to the group." Jim looked at Sam, Dean, and Cas.</p><p>"Where's the Doctor?" The Master asked, getting really irritated.</p><p>John could not help but smirk. Sherlock nudged him to try to stop him.</p><p>"What is so funny?!" He marched up to Sherlock and John.</p><p>"There is one thing you must never do!" Everyone turned to look at the top of a huge tree, seeing the Doctor with some contraption in his hand. "Well, there are several, but the point I'm trying to make is...one must never, ever let me wonder off, cause I may do something like <em>this</em>."</p><p>The Master screamed in protest as the vortex manipulator opened up, sucking in all of the cybermen. Jim looked in horror as their so-called unstoppable army was being pulled into who-knows-where...or when.</p><p>Well, there goes <em>that </em>plan.</p><p>Jim was getting really sick and tired of things not going his way. As he clung to the tree nearest to him, he thought he was going to start doing things <em>his </em>way. The Master be damned. <em>He </em>was the master criminal everyone feared. And it was about time he started acting like it.</p><p>The Doctor noticed the Angels were being sucked into the vortex as well, then he shut it off once all of the Cybermen were gone. The manipulator shocked him as sparks flew. That was the only run it would ever have, because it was toast. At least it worked though. He tried to climb down from the tree, but ended up falling.</p><p>"I'm ok!" He jumped right up.</p><p>"I don't <em>care</em>!" Jim pulled out his gun. "I've about had enough of all of your surprises and <em>your </em>plan of world domination!" The conversation took a turn to the Master.</p><p>"I'm sorry, I told you what the Doctor is like." He looked at the Doctor. "He is the oncoming storm, bringing death and destruction wherever he goes. He destroyed Gallifrey, our home! And everyone who lived there!"</p><p>The Doctor winced in pain as his hearts were beating rapidly against his chest. He turned to look at his companions, these misfits who trusted him. Looks of shock, confusion, and sympathy from the one who had known him for so long were hitting him repeatedly, and the pain worsened.</p><p>Sherlock looked away, mumbling something about suspecting it all along, John silently condemning him for it.</p><p>"Doctor..." Sam stepped forward, just looking at him with that same grief. He had only known the Doctor for, what, a couple of minutes now, but still, Sam Winchester <em>knew </em>about the pain and guilt over the things he had done.</p><p>The Doctor did not say anything. His silence was enough.</p><p>"Oh, don't worry, kids." The Master played comforting. "The Doctor has done many other terrible, awful things that you would never dream of him doing. He brings people in only to <em>push</em> them away!" The Master literally shoved the Doctor, the Doctor not even trying to fight back. He just kept looking down. He could not face these people. He had lied to them.</p><p>The Doctor always lies.</p><p>"Isn't it about <em>time </em>you show them some <em>real </em>mercy?"</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>BANG!</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>"I couldn't agree more." Jim slowly lowered his gun after shooting.</p><p>The Master lay dead on the ground, eyes glazed over forever. Again. The Doctor fell to his knees, hands supporting his sinking head.</p><p>"Now can we get back to <em>me</em>? I hated that guy, always taking the spotlight and his plan that was a failure to begin with. So unprofessional." The Doctor aimed his gun at the Doctor. "Get up, c'mon."</p><p>"Hey! Leave him alone! Can't you see he's hurt enough?" Dean defended.</p><p>Jim pointed his gun at Dean, Sam pulling Dean back and behind him for protection. "Do you <em>ever </em>just shut up?"</p><p>"Sammy here can't even get me to." Dean smiled, patting Sam on the back.</p><p>"Mhmmm..." Jim held the palm of his empty hand up, curling and un-curling his fingers fast. "Give it to me."</p><p>The Doctor just looked at him.</p><p>"I don't have all day." Jim clicked the gun back again, ready for round two.</p><p>The Doctor reached into his jacket, pulling out his screwdriver. He did not even stutter when Jim's hand wrapped around it, jerking it out of the Doctor's hand.</p><p>"Have fun in your little blue box, Dearie." Jim walked away, no concern of anyone shooting him in the back, for the Dalek was covering for him.</p><p>They all silently watched them vanish from sight.</p><p>"Doctor?" John began to step forward.</p><p>"Leave him, John." Sherlock said solemnly behind him. "He just needs time right now."</p><p>"I'm afraid there isn't much time before things start to take a turn for the worse." Cas looked at the Doctor, who was just staring at the horizon.</p><p>"Just out of curiosity, what did that little screwdriver do? Some kind of magic?" Dean asked.</p><p>Sam gave him a look.</p><p>"It was an honest question! Y'all need to take a chill pill. Doc annihilated the army and one bad guy killed the other, and we're all still here, so I say this turned out pretty OK in my book."</p><p>"Dean, you don't know what all he just lost again." Cas said. "His long-lost best friend died in front of him for the second time. Nobody deserves to see that."</p><p>Sam could not help but shiver. <em>Nobody </em>deserves to relive the death of someone you care about over and over again.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <em>semper crescis</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Jim giggled to himself like he had just stolen his early Christmas present. Well, he did, and it was fascinating. This screwdriver was alien technology at its finest, and he had no idea what it really did...yet. He was not a criminal mastermind for nothing. He would figure it out in no time.</p><p>"WE HAVE THE DOCTOR'S MOST PRIZED POSSESSION! VICTORY IS WITHIN GRASP!" The Dalek was moving around in glee, if it could, Jim guessed, its "headlights" flashing.</p><p>"Is it really all that much to brag about?" Thinking back, the Doctor did look hurt and defeated to have to give it up. A smile appeared as he thought of how much pain the Doctor must be in now.</p><p>Pain. He could cause so much pain to them all. Attack where it hurts the most. Feed upon their fears and regrets. Killing them sounded so dull now. He was not planning on killing them immediately.</p><p>But to <em>live </em>with it. Is that not what the Master had told him about? The curse of the Time Lords? They should all feel that way by the time he was done with them. He would have to dig up some more dirt on these Winchester boys and that other one. That was the real mystery he really wanted to solve.</p><p>By whatever means necessary, he was going to get under all of their skins.</p><p>Jim kept fiddling with it, soon aware of the high-pitched squelch that had caused his ears some strain previously. He looked at the Dalek, and pointed it at the alien, its green light shining. The scanning sound ended and Jim looked at the device in confusion.</p><p>"Nothing. How boring." He shoved it into his pocket to deal with later.</p><hr/><p>Everyone waited.</p><p>Sherlock went off to be alone in his Mind Palace. Dean laughed, Sherlock giving him a look.</p><p>"Look, Princess, just because you have a happy place doesn't mean you get to be a bitch about it."</p><p>Sherlock ignored him. He was focusing. Focusing on trying to figure out what it was he saw. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up for just a moment right before he assumed he forgot. It had to be alien, he knew that much. And it was not anything like what they had encountered yet. So it was a new species.</p><p>The Doctor had to know.</p><p>Sherlock sighed, and went after the Doctor. He was not too far off, since he was just wandering around.</p><p>He found the Doctor leaning against a tree, arms crossed, staring at the sky with that nostalgic look of happiness and sorrow.</p><p>"Would you just look at them?" The Doctor said quietly. "I know you don't fancy them, but-"</p><p>"They're just not important to me, not like John and you, and, well, everyone else, of course." He refused to look up, to even acknowledge the night sky. It was just lighting needed for the world to see at night. There was nothing else...until now...</p><p>The Doctor shook his head. "They mean a lot to me. So many lives, so many stories to tell. Do you ever wonder, Sherlock Holmes, about what is beyond the here and now?"</p><p>"Not since I met you, no." Sherlock cut his eyes to the left, as if expecting someone to join them. "And Castiel."</p><p>"I know you are intimidated by him. But he is a faithful friend that I owe so much to. He asks for nothing in return."</p><p>"Seems you are of that sort as well."</p><p>"No. I want so much from you and John...and even Sam and Dean." The Doctor paused, cracking a smile. "I want you to <em>live</em>. To really take this time and be fantastic, be inspired to go and try and fail and try again."</p><p>"You sound like my mother."</p><p>"Sherlock Holmes, I have traveled all over time and space, and not <em>once </em>have I met a single person who was not important."</p><p>"SON OF A BITCH!"</p><p>Sherlock and the Doctor ran to find everyone else facing something oddly familiar.</p><p>"What is <em>that</em>?" John had a confused look on his face as he looked at Sherlock then at everyone else, his whole facial expression suddenly changing. "What are you all staring at?"</p><p>"The Silence." The Doctor said plainly.</p><p>"The what?" Sam looked at the Doctor and Sherlock. "What's going on? We're fine. Everybody's fine. What is-" Sam had just turned to look at the strange aliens again. "...that?" He finished.</p><p>"Doc, what are you doing? Now is not the time to face paint! There was something weird going on and for the life of me I can't figure it out." Dean was done with this shit. Now the Doctor was drawing on himself. Have they all gone mental?</p><p>Sherlock stared at the Doctor, who was focusing on something next to that tree and the one next to it. He was backing up towards the TARDIS.</p><p>"Sherlock, what's he doing?" John was lost as to what was going on.</p><p>Sherlock looked in the direction the Doctor was looking and saw it too.</p><p>"Is that all of them?" The Doctor nodded his answer. Sherlock looked over at the Doctor's face. "Why are you tallying your face?"</p><p>"Everybody get in the TARDIS!"</p><p>"Why are we hiding? Is the dark getting too scary?"</p><p>"Dean, that's <em>not </em>funny." Castiel lectured. They did not need <em>that </em>to be added to their list of problems.</p><hr/><p>The creature stood towering over the Doctor. Others were closing in. The Doctor held his ground, though.</p><p>"Doctor..."</p><p>"Yes, hello, me again, can I help you?" The Doctor shut the door behind him. He and the TARDIS were surrounded. "Oh no you don't!" They were <em>not </em>going to lay one long slimy finger on her. "CAS! If you will be so kind!"</p><p>"Silence will fall, Doctor."</p><p>"I can assure you of that." The Doctor swung the door open and ducked.</p><p>A bright light annihilated the Silence, leaving nothing but dust behind. The Doctor sighed in relief, stroking the TARDIS before going inside. He locked the door behind him, and met some confused faces from his British companions.</p><p>"Right then."</p><p>"What the bloody he-ck was <em>that</em>?!" John controlled himself at the last minute, remembering who was in the same company with him.</p><p>Castiel turned to the Doctor. "Don't worry. They won't be back here." He took at look at the sigil on the door, blood dripping.</p><p>Dean came from around the corner, mouth full of a sandwich. "Think of it as the holy version of Tony Stark's arc reactor, only it's a banisher!"</p><p>Sherlock and John both raised an eyebrow, not getting the reference.</p><p>"Oh come on! You don't know who Iron Man is?"</p><p>"Can't say I do." John shook his head. More reasons Americans were annoying. Their infinite amount of references about things the rest of the world could care less about.</p><p>"I do!" The Doctor threw his hand in the air. "I've got every comic ever!"</p><p>"I bet you do." Dean smirked.</p><p>Sam did a double take. "You do?"</p><p>"Oh, for goodness sake." Sherlock hated being surrounded by children.</p><p>"I can loan them to you later." The Doctor winked at Sam.</p><p>Sam noticed all eyes on him. "I didn't get to read <em>all </em>of them growing up, OK?"</p><hr/><p>"Shouldn't they be here by now?" Jim asked an Angel, by now used to their presence.</p><p>No answer.</p><p>Jim was getting bored. He was alone with all of these freaks, and nothing to do. He was actually looking forward to meeting "The Silence," intrigued by the name of the species alone.</p><p>"Oh, they won't be coming, thanks to Mr. Goody Two-Shoes and his band of misfits." A man from the shadows appeared.</p><p>Jim turned around, pointing his gun. "Well, one less thing to worry about then...I can focus all of my attention on you for now."</p><p>The man smiled, evil written all over his face.</p><p>"Who the hell are you?"</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>ever waxing/forever growing</em>
  </strong>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
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  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>"King of Hell, actually." He smiled at Jim. "Name's Crowley. It's a pleasure, Jim Moriarty."</p>
      <p>Jim ignored the outstretched hand. "How the hell do you know me?"</p>
      <p>"Excellent deduction, seeing as you've already answered your own question."</p>
      <p>Silence. Jim was not biting.</p>
      <p>Crowley rolled his eyes, impatient. "Look, I've turned Hell into a networking type of business. I know everything about everyone and their soul, and you have peaked my interest now that you've gathered some rather strange allies. My demons have been keeping an eye on you, reporting to me anything of interest."</p>
      <p>"So now the Devil is spying on me." Jim laughed.</p>
      <p>"Oh, you don't have to worry about him. Lucifer has been in the cage and will continue to as long as I'm around."</p>
      <p>Jim frowned. "I thought-"</p>
      <p>"It's not as cookie-cutter as your Mum would teach you in Sunday school. And trust me, you wouldn't want him running amuck up here. It's too chaotic, too much death all at once. It's bad for business."</p>
      <p>"Right...go away."</p>
      <p>"Think about it." Jim stopped walking away immediately as he realized he was walking into Crowley. "I'm a demon, the big man on campus. I can help you in your little plan of world domination or whatever. I just need-"</p>
      <p>"Oh, no you won't!" Jim stopped him right there. "I may be on the brink of a psychotic breakdown - more so than usual - but I have learned my lesson."</p>
      <p>"Oh, you mean that little magic trick at Reichenbach?"</p>
      <p>Jim glared at him.</p>
      <p>"Face it, you were worried it wouldn't work, so you got some help from a third party, but that relationship did not last long."</p>
      <p>"He was <em>insane</em>. I couldn't stand it. <em>I </em>wanted to be the star. It was <em>my </em>plan in the first place. He was so annoying!"</p>
      <p>"I can assure you, I am strictly business. Now let me explain. Giving me your soul, it's just some insurance. You can have it back after we're done. If you kill me, which I know you know how to, you're a smart lad, your soul will be lost forever. In this way, we both get what we want...the world at our fingertips. Together, not even those Winchester's or your boy-toys can get in our way."</p>
      <p>"Mmm..." Jim thought for a minute. "What about the Doctor?"</p>
      <p>"Who?"</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"So, Doctor, where are we going?" Sam looked up from his comic book to find the Doctor throwing books around the library.</p>
      <p>This place kinda reminded Sam of the Bunker, making the TARDIS feel a little bit more homey. It was definitely bigger. John had showed them around some, too worried to go any further than he definitely knew himself. The Doctor told him earlier that he still gets lost all the time. Sam was more than content with the library.</p>
      <p>"Don't know, trying to figure that part out."</p>
      <p>Sherlock soon entered the library, face scrunched in disgust at the table he used to research.</p>
      <p>"Hey, Sherlock." Sam was not acknowledged, but he did not care. He had Dean and Cas. When they were in their own little world, there was no getting out for them unless they wanted to.</p>
      <p>Sherlock picked up a book, then dropped it as if it bored him. A loud thump shook the Doctor out of his quest to find whatever he was looking for.</p>
      <p>"Hey! Be careful with that!" The Doctor picked up the book, brushed it off, then tossed it onto a chair, already filled with books.</p>
      <p>"You seem to have no problem throwing things." Sherlock replied, flipping through a book.</p>
      <p>"Well, I do it <em>gently!</em> Like when you do your experiments."</p>
      <p>"Yes, well, that book wasn't very interesting."</p>
      <p>"That was the personal journal of Galileo Galilei! He gave it to me to keep safe from the church so they wouldn't burn it!"</p>
      <p>"You know I could care less what big sphere revolves around the other. I deleted it for a reason."</p>
      <p>Sam shrunk deeper behind the big book he recently found. It may not be of interest to Sherlock, but to him, the unknown was fascinating. This book especially. The Doctor told Sam the TARDIS would translate anything for him into English or Latin, whichever he preferred. The comics were discarded...for now.</p>
      <p>The arguing was blocked out as he continued reading. He looked up after about half an hour to find it was just him and the Doctor.</p>
      <p>"Can I ask you a question?"</p>
      <p>The Doctor looked over to Sam and smiled. "Always the scholar, aren't you?"</p>
      <p>"These Daleks...are bad news and seem to be unstoppable, because, well you know that. How did you...if you don't mind me asking...how did you and no one else survive?"</p>
      <p>The Doctor turned away for a moment, then looked back at Sam. "I did something...something that is unforgivable."</p>
      <p>"But all of time and reality are still in existence because of you. Why did we never hear about this on Earth?"</p>
      <p>"I didn't want anyone else to know."</p>
      <p>"Else?" Too many questions. The Doctor was more of a mystery than a lot of things Sam had dealt with in the past.</p>
      <p>"When the Time War ended, God spoke to me."</p>
      <p>"God? As in..."</p>
      <p>"The one and only. He promised to not let Earth find out what happened."</p>
      <p>"Why not keep it a secret from everywhere else?"</p>
      <p>"Word travels fast, and the Earth was still in Creation at the time. Besides, God showed me the Creation of mankind, and, needless to say, I did not want something so precious and so fascinating as humans to be subjected to all of the horrors that are out there."</p>
      <p>"You've been around a long time, haven't you?"</p>
      <p>"Yes, thanks to Him. Sometimes, I wish I was human."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"C'mon, Cas, tell me about them!"</p>
      <p>"Dean, the less you know, the better."</p>
      <p>"You, and me, and Sam have faced <em>way</em> worse than some homicidal ET. Now tell me about the Silence! The more I know, the better off we are in finding a way to kill it."</p>
      <p>"Dean, they have been, and I don't mean to make this pun, this silent presence since the Time War. They are plotting against the Doctor. They do not want another Time War. But every time you look away from them, you forget you ever saw them, making them almost unstoppable."</p>
      <p>"OK, so you get a sense of deja vu? I don't get any of this."</p>
      <p>"After you see them again, yes. That's why the Doctor drew tabs on himself, so he could keep track of how many there were."</p>
      <p>"But they can't be stopped."</p>
      <p>"I don't know how."</p>
      <p>"I'm just confused. What's this war all about, and why is the Doctor not an actual Doctor. What is he, some John Smith?"</p>
      <p>"Dean...I know it's all new to you. This isn't a monster you can just kill. They are a secret society-"</p>
      <p>"Hence the name. You know what? Forget I even asked. My head hurts." Dean walked off, leaving Cas to his thoughts on all that has transpired since the Angels' return.</p>
      <p>"Oh, my brothers and sisters, I am so sorry."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"Hey, John, I need a drink." Dean found John sipping some tea.</p>
      <p>"Uh, sure, let me make you a cuppa-" A bottle of beer slammed on the counter, followed by Dean slumping onto the barstool across from John. "Tea."</p>
      <p>"Yeah, I require the stronger stuff."</p>
      <p>"Right then, well, how are you holding up?"</p>
      <p>Dean gave him a look. "Really? First, Baby gets squashed like a bug. We get crammed into a magical phone booth and went to England where we met two psychos, one offing the other. And Aliens! Fucking aliens!"</p>
      <p>John could not catch the rest cause he was mumbling into his bottle. He laughed. "You forgot to mention people coming back from the dead."</p>
      <p>"I stopped worrying about that. Just another day in the life of a Winchester."</p>
      <p>John sighed. These kids have been through a lot more than they let on. "Wanna talk about it?"</p>
      <p>"What are you, my therapist? No thanks, Doc."</p>
      <p>John did not say anything else. He was too curious as to the second rough landing of the TARDIS.</p>
      <p><em>Now</em> what?</p>
    </div>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <em>aut decrescis</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Everyone stumbled into the control room, wondering why the sudden stop.</p><p>"Dude, what the hell?" Dean looked at the Doctor.</p><p>The Doctor was fumbling around, pressing buttons, typing something, but nothing happened.</p><p>"Doctor, what's the matter?" John could see the Doctor grasping for straws and coming up empty.</p><p>The Time Lord tried to regulate his breathing, his hearts going wild. <em>This cannot be happening. Not now!</em> He turned around and sighed. Tears were forming in his old eyes. "The TARDIS..."</p><p>Sherlock, still impatient from their latest argument moaned. "Yes, we can see the TARDIS crashed, but what we want to know is <em>why</em>!"</p><p>"Sherlock." John scolded. "That's enough."</p><p>They all waited for the Doctor to finish his answer.</p><p>"She's...dying." A single tear fell.</p><hr/><p>"I don't know. He's some...madman that travels around in a blue police box. He always carries <em>this </em>around with him." Jim pulled out the screwdriver. "I can't figure it out."</p><p>"It seems that way. May I?" Jim tosses it to Crowley, who examined it carefully. The demon's eyes widened. "Bollocks."</p><p>"What?" Jim's curiosity peaked once again for his newly stolen toy.</p><p>Crowley flicked it. "This is technology that Earth has yet to see for another...couple thousand years, give or take. Those boys have an alien on their side as well."</p><p>"So, who or what are we dealing with here?"</p><p>Crowley continued pressing buttons. "We are dealing with the Oncoming Storm. The destroyer of planets and civilizations..he's like a god, not who we deal with, obviously, he runs around the universe saving people according to what he thinks is best. Too much power for one little Time Lord."</p><p>"A Time Lord? Well, that's just great!" Jim drug a hand down his face. "He can just pop back and stop me before I even get the idea!"</p><p>"Actually." The pause was making Jim very impatient. "He can't change this past because he is a part of it. You see, time travel is very tricky. You can change things in the past, but if you are going back to a part of your past, then you risk seeing your past self, which could cause a paradox. Which is very bad for all parties involved. Also, this is considered a fixed point in time, you causing mass chaos on the world, bringing on the Apocalypse-"</p><hr/><p>"That's impossible. It...she has managed this long without weakening, why now?" Sherlock was trying to wrap his brain around the situation.</p><p>"I don't know..." The Doctor said sadly.</p><p>"Glad we can all agree on something." Dean spoke up sarcastically. It was true, though.</p><p>"Dean-"</p><p>"What, Cas? You think your angel mojo can fix her up? No, I didn't think so."</p><p>"I think we all just need to calm down." Sam tried to take control.</p><p>"Sam is right." John helped. "We can all keep pointing fingers, or we can figure this out."</p><p>"Yeah, y'all go do that. Why don't Sam and Sherlock bury their noses in some books on aliens causing Hell on Earth, while the rest of you sit down and talk about your feelings! I'm heading out."</p><p>The Doctor forgot his pain for a second. "Wait, Dean!"</p><p>"What's up, Doc?" Dean turned around, hand on the door.</p><p>"I wouldn't go out there just yet. Not till we know what's going on."</p><p>"Oh, I know what's exactly going on. I need to get the hell away from you guys before I kill one of you." With that, Dean left and slammed the door.</p><p>Everyone stared after him.</p><hr/><p>"<em>WHAT?"</em></p><p>"You don't realize what you are doing, nor how much you need my help to save your little hide."</p><p>"The Apocalypse already-"</p><p>"Yes, there were the Horsemen causing panic and confusion, the little family meeting, but I'm talking about something just as terrible, and if you want to survive, well, you'll need the King of Hell on your side. Because between you, your monsters, the Doctor, and his monsters...it won't stop until one of you is standing. Now, do you want to be the sole survivor?"</p><hr/><p>Dean needed to get away. They were all mad! Maybe they landed next to a pub. After walking a couple of yards, he realized he was in the middle of the woods. Was it the same as before? No, this place was new, and dark.</p><p>Dean pulled out his flashlight and looked around. Keeping the TARDIS within a sprinting distance, he kept walking, trying to clear his head. Looking up, there were no stars out. And the moon was smaller. It too, seemed to be losing its juice. It suddenly dawned on him that the end of the world was a lot closer than they thought...again.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>CRACK!</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>He spun around, gun pointing at his stalker. "Cas? You scared the crap out of me!"</p><p>"Dean, I need to talk to you."</p><p>"Oh, <em>now </em>you wanna talk! You think I can handle this conversation?"</p><p>Cas looked away, then frowned as he looked up. "The moon is..."</p><p>Dean looked up as well. "Yeah, it's a lot darker out here. Anyway..."</p><p>"I did not mean to upset you. This is a lot to take in for all of us. Whatever they are planning, I have all of my faith in us."</p><p>Dean nodded. "You really think we can?"</p><p>"We have three geniuses and a soldier. I think we can manage a couple of monsters."</p><p>"Yeah, but this Jim Moriarty. He's a nutcase. And he's human. We can't just kill him, I mean..."</p><p>"He has to be stopped."</p><p>"Cas!"</p><p>Cas turned to look what was behind him, and disappeared right before Dean's eyes.</p><p>"You son of a bitch!" It took all of his willpower not to punch the crap out of the Weeping Angel smiling at him, taunting him. Dean held his gaze, stuck.</p><p>"<em>I may be a nutcase, but at least I have class</em>."</p><p>Dean held his stance, even though he really wanted to punch him.</p><p>"I do apologize for, hold on." He snapped his fingers, the Angel disappearing.</p><p>Dean jerked around. "You control them?"</p><p>"I can do more than that. Now that we're a little less out of control, I wanted to apologize for interrupting your boyfriend. You were both starting to get along again, but I had to get him out of the way."</p><p>"You lay a finger on him, and I'll-"</p><p>Dean stopped as Jim laughed. "You're so adooorable, Winchester. Loyalty is a beautiful thing. But you know what's sexy? Desperation."</p><p>"What do you want?"</p><p>"Cut to the chase then? I thought you were more fun than Sherlock."</p><p>Dean just stared.</p><p>"Guess not. I wager a trade."</p><p>"Done."</p><p>"Awww, sorry, dear, but I don't want you, I want the Doctor, and you can have your boyfriend back. If not, well, you know those Angels have held a grudge on Castiel since the Fall, and needless to say, they can't wait to get a piece of revenge."</p><p>Dean's heart beat against his chest. <em>Those statues were fallen angels?</em></p><p>"Those douchebags are dead."</p><p>"Take it from someone who knows a thing or two, dearie. Death is never permanent."</p><p>Dean stepped into Jim's face. "You know what? I don't like this game you're playing. You show me that Cas is still alive, and then we'll talk."</p><p>"Whatever you say." Jim smiled as he led Dean out of the woods.</p><hr/><p>Sam would not stop pacing. Dean had been gone too long. Cas had offered to go after him.</p><p>That was two hours ago.</p><p>"Something's wrong." Sam ran a hand through his hair. They shouldn't be out there alone."</p><p>"I'm sure Castiel can manage babysitting on his own." Sherlock said, laying on the floor next to the wall.</p><p>The TARDIS' lights had gone out, so everyone decided to stay together.</p><p>"Maybe we should go get them. It's too dangerous out there for just the two of them."</p><p>"I lost them." The Doctor stared at the screen. "Dean's heat signal disappeared, going too far out."</p><p>"What about Cas?" Sam asked.</p><p>"He's an angel. Lost his signal a while ago."</p><p>"Again, I'm dealing with amateurs." Sherlock got up and held his hand out. "John, hand me your phone."</p><p>John obliged.</p><p>"I should've thought of that. You are very clever, Sherlock Holmes."</p><p>"I know."</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>and waning</em>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
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    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
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      <p>"You can put the gun down, dearie, I'm not going to kill you...not anytime soon."</p>
      <p>"Yeah, well, forgive me if I'm a little untrustworthy right now." Dean stayed on high alert, more than certain he was being led to a trap. But if it leads to Cas, then why not.</p>
      <p>An angel had its arms out, as if offering to take their hands. Dean's eyes did not blink.</p>
      <p>"Here's our ride." Jim placed his hand on top of the stone's hand.</p>
      <p>"Um, no thanks, I'm not in the mood."</p>
      <p>"Do you want to see him, or not?" Jim raised an eyebrow at Dean, who was still trying to understand how one man can be this calm next to something so damn creepy.</p>
      <p>"I'll kill you if this doesn't work." Dean nervously put a hand down.</p>
      <p>"Looking forward to it." As Dean looked to Jim, they vanished.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"Got him. Shall we?" Sherlock walked out of the TARDIS. John looked at the Doctor and Sam, shrugging, then followed.</p>
      <p>They walked a couple of yards before Sherlock stopped suddenly. The Doctor ran into him.</p>
      <p>"Sorry. Wasn't paying attention to where I was going." He laughed to himself.</p>
      <p>"Did you find them?" Sam asked, confused, not seeing anything.</p>
      <p>"Yes, but they seem to be back at Bodiam Castle."</p>
      <p>"A castle? Really?" Sam was not buying it.</p>
      <p>"Always one for the theatrics." Sherlock sighed. "...Doctor?" Sherlock tried to get him out of his trance.</p>
      <p>The Doctor shook his head. "Right then, back to the TARDIS."</p>
      <p>Once they took off, Sam's curiosity once again got the better of him. "Doctor, I know it's been-"</p>
      <p>"It's all right, Sam. I'm fine." Sam knew that answer better than anyone. Except Dean.</p>
      <p>The Doctor thought back once again on all of the people he had failed in the past, and wished that this time could be different.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>Dean heaved a little. This was way worse than traveling via Cas.</p>
      <p>"And you play off as someone who's so tough. Look at you. Pathetic." Jim laughed.</p>
      <p>Dean did not find him so funny. "Look, just show me where Cas is!"</p>
      <p>"Ooo, so <em>demanding</em>." Jim led him through a door and down the stairs they went into the dungeon.</p>
      <p>"Nice getup you got here. Dark, creepy, overly dramatic. It really suits you." Dean sarcastically complemented. It really was nasty. Like something Dracula would live in.</p>
      <p>Jim did not acknowledge his jeer, but just kept walking. Two angels stood covering their eyes on either side of a huge wooden door. Torches could be seen inside, but Dean could not distinguish anything due to the very small window. Jim pulled out a key, slowly opening the door. The sound was deafening as it slammed wide into the inside wall.</p>
      <p>Dean found it hard to swallow. "Cas?"</p>
      <p>Cas was chained by both wrists above his head. His trenchcoat was discarded on the floor, discolored from what looked and smelt like dirt and blood. His eyes were bloodshot, cuts all over his face and body. Dean could tell they were deep because the shirt was more red than white. Sweat dripped off his nose and forehead. Angels were leering just outside of the light, fangs and claws threatening to attack again.</p>
      <p>"Cas?" Dean ran up to him, cupping his face so he could look him in the eye. "Talk to me, are you OK?"</p>
      <p>"Dean?" He swallowed, throat dry.</p>
      <p>"How could this have happened in what, fifteen minutes?"</p>
      <p>"The angels, they're very, very fast. I'm sorry, Dean."</p>
      <p>Dean's face scrunched into rage. He turned around. "You son of a bitch!" He was cut off by an angel appearing in front of him. "What, so you're just going to hide behind your stone-cold bitches?"</p>
      <p>"I just can't get over you, Dean, you are SO peculiar!" Jim walked from behind the angel and past Dean. "So cold, and hateful on the outside." Jim revealed an angel blade from his inside pocket then admired it in the moonlight, which seemed to be brighter here, like normal.</p>
      <p>"You stay away from him! I'll-" Dean stopped when Cas cried in pain as Jim cut down his chest.</p>
      <p>"Or you'll what?!" Jim screamed, eyes practically bulging out. "Stop me?!"</p>
      <p>"Aaaaannngh!" Cas sucked in a sharp breath.</p>
      <p>"No, no, you can't. My angels can kill you in a split second if you try anything."</p>
      <p>Cas growled, his breathing becoming more labored.</p>
      <p>"I'll do it! I'll bring you the Doctor!" Dean pleaded.</p>
      <p>"Are you sure?" Jim cut again, the blade moving so slowly, it hurt Dean.</p>
      <p>Cas started to pass out, but Jim slapped him on the cheek. "I'm not finished yet!"</p>
      <p>"Dammit, Moriarty, just stop it! You've made your point!"</p>
      <p>The blade traveled upwards to his chest, then finally stopped.</p>
      <p>"Ngh!" When the blade left his skin, Cas panted, relieved it was finally over. Jim stepped back for a second, admiring hid work. He looked at the blood-stained blade.</p>
      <p>"I think this is my best yet." He walked up to Cas then ripped the shirt off dramatically. "Oh! It's just beautiful, isn't it?"</p>
      <p>Dean had no words. The letters carved into Cas sent his stomach into knots.</p>
      <p>"Cas?"</p>
      <p>A strange, but familiar sound caused them to look up in confusion.</p>
      <p>"Oh, I guess you did keep your end of the bargain. All of that for nothing. This was fun. Oh Cas, darling." Jim caressed Cas's cheek. "I'm so sorry. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Time Lord to collect." And with a snap of his fingers, the Angels and Jim disappeared.</p>
      <p>"Cas!" Dean picked the locks as fast as he could. Cas collapsed, Dean catching him. "Don't worry, Doc has got just the thing to patch you up I'm sure. We'll..." Dean could not stop staring at Cas' chest.</p>
      <p>"Dean, I'll...be...fine..."</p>
      <p>"Let's just get you out of here." Dean tried to ignore Cas's moaning as he threw his arm over his own shoulder. They slowly made their way out.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"Well, well, well, isn't this a surprise, boys!" Jim walked out into the courtyard where the TARDIS had landed. "So sorry you missed the show."</p>
      <p>"Let's just stop all of this before you do something you're going to regret." The Doctor reasoned.</p>
      <p>"What, like you?"</p>
      <p>"We can't just let you continue on like this." Sherlock said.</p>
      <p>"Oh, I'm so scared." Jim threw his hands up to his mouth. "I just mutilated one of your most powerful allies, and what have you done? Wallowing in your self-pity, scratching your heads all the while. You know you can't stop me. You've just got a blue box that can fly around." Jim turned to look behind him. "Oh, there they are! My pretty boys!"</p>
      <p>"Dean?" Sam and the others looked in horror at Dean half-carrying Cas towards them. He ran over to help.</p>
      <p>"Sherlock." John whispered.</p>
      <p>But Sherlock already saw. And it angered him.</p>
      <p>"Look familiar?" Jim asked Sherlock, who stared at him.</p>
      <p>"What exactly are you going for, here?" John stepped aside to let Cas and the brothers into the TARDIS.</p>
      <p>Jim just smiled. "I want to burn you. I want to burn you all." He snapped his fingers again, two angels appearing on either side of the Doctor.</p>
      <p>"Doctor..." Sherlock stared. John helped him.</p>
      <p>"Nothing to see here. You two run along before I change my mind on letting you go."</p>
      <p>"Not without him." John demanded.</p>
      <p>"You know, John, Cas has suffered quite a bit from this <em>angel </em>blade. Moreso than any other means of torture I inflicted on him. Makes you curious, doesn't it? How incredible that being really is. It'd be a shame if he didn't receive immediate medical attention."</p>
      <p>"Sherlock." John left his friend to help Cas.</p>
      <p>"Sherlock?" Sherlock snapped out of it and looked at the Doctor. "Take the TARDIS, and go."</p>
      <p>"I have to-"</p>
      <p>"You can't save me...not right now." Sherlock stared at him for a moment.</p>
      <p>"In the end, it's always just you and me, isn't it Sherlock?" Jim smiled. "I have enjoyed this little game of cat and mouse, but why don't you go on and play doctor. We'll be seeing each other very soon."</p>
      <p>"Sherlock, he needs me alive, just go." The Doctor looked sadly at Sherlock, who would not look at him as he turned and entered the TARDIS.</p>
      <p>"I...owe...you..."</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>
        <strong>
          <em>vita detestabilis</em>
        </strong>
      </p>
      <p>As she faded from reality, a tear made its way down the Doctor's cheek. They had many adventures together, and she always protected him and his companions. They were so close, and he did not want to lose her. But if it saved his friends, he would let her go.</p>
      <p>He silently told her to take care of them.</p>
      <p>"Well!"</p>
      <p>The Doctor looked at Moriarty.</p>
      <p>"I think we are going to have <em>so </em>much fun together. I mean, don't get me wrong, the angel and his boyfriend were intriguing, but <em>you</em>...I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."</p>
      <p>The Doctor just stared at him.</p>
      <p>"Is this him?" Crowley appeared behind Jim. "Little bit scrawny for such a dangerous thing." He looked him up and down, then waved his hand as if swatting as fly. The angels disappeared. "So, you're the last of the infamous Time Lords?"</p>
      <p>"I am."</p>
      <p>"You've seen so much..." Crowley smiled. "Wanna see more?"</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"Dean! Just...please, just calm down." John tried not to yell at him, but Dean was just so angry and upset, the army doctor could not concentrate.</p>
      <p>The hunter slammed the door, not bothering about waking Cas since John drugged him. He was in enough pain already not to feel the antibiotics kick in. John was grateful that the infirmary had everything he needed and then some. He started gently cleaning the deep cuts on the front of his body. His back was covered in bruises from the angels, along with his wrists and shoulders.</p>
      <p>John could tell his left shoulder needed to be replaced, and was glad he could do it while Cas was not awake.</p>
      <p>Dean went to the control room where Sherlock and Sam were trying to fly the TARDIS. Looking at all of the buttons and knobs, Dean had no regrets on ever pursuing becoming a pilot when he was younger.</p>
      <p>"Where are we going?" Dean was surprised his voice sounded so broken. But then again, seeing Cas beaten was not something he could ever get used to.</p>
      <p>Sam saw how hurt his brother was. At least it was not his fault...this time.</p>
      <p>"We're going to try to find a way to stop Moriarty."</p>
      <p>"Well, that would be nice." Dean crossed his arms.</p>
      <p>Sherlock never paid attention to the brothers. He stood up from leaning over the controls and went to look out the window. Stars were everywhere.</p>
      <p>
        <em>They all have stories. Lives.</em>
      </p>
      <p>The Doctor was right.</p>
      <p>"Get out."</p>
      <p>"Excuse me?" Dean furrowed his brow.</p>
      <p>"I need to go to my Mind Palace <em>now</em>, so if you wouldn't mind-"</p>
      <p>"You're such a drama queen."</p>
      <p>"We're going. Sorry." Sam drug his brother away as Sherlock basked in the silence for a moment before diving in.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"Dean?"</p>
      <p>"I'm fine, Sam." Dean was busying himself thumbing through the Doctor's enormous collection of Wii games. Some Christmas stickers were on them, saying "Merry Christmas! From the Ponds."</p>
      <p>"I know." Sam hated this. After all these years, they still could not talk to each other. "You know Cas is going to be OK. He's survived much worse, and-"</p>
      <p>"That's not the point, Sam." Dean slightly raised his voice. He turned around, two games in his hand. "It's just...that damn psychopath used him to get to me so I could lure the Doctor and..."</p>
      <p>"You can't blame yourself. We were hot on your trail."</p>
      <p>"But I was going to do it. Sam, I was going to betray the Doctor." Dean felt sick. "You didn't see him, Sam. Those Weeping Angels? Those are fallen angels that you, me, and Cas killed after the Fall. So they were out for vengeance."</p>
      <p>Sam was shocked. "I thought they were some other alien."</p>
      <p>"We are never that lucky." Dean went back to the shelf of games.</p>
      <p>Sam did not say anything else. He walked up next to his brother.</p>
      <p>"Dude, Mario Kart?"</p>
      <p>"You gotta problem?" Dean raised a brow, daring him.</p>
      <p>"No, I just know last time we played, you kept driving off the track and never finished a race." Sam laughed at Dean.</p>
      <p>Dean looked at the game then back at Sam. He never lost eye contact as he opened it up and turned on the Wii console.</p>
      <p>"Oh, it's on like Donkey Kong."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>
        <em>Disappearances. TARDIS. Aliens. Moriarty. Daleks. Exterminate. Silence. Forget. Revenge. I. O. U.</em>
      </p>
      <p>Sherlock knew there had to be something they could do. He turned to look at the center of the room.</p>
      <p>"What should we do?" Sherlock Holmes hardly <em>ever </em>asked for help. But desperate times. "You've helped the Doctor for so long. You trusted each other. And we don't understand a lot of this. This case we're working together...It's going to take all of us. You want to save the Doctor. Show us where, or <em>when</em>, we need to go to help."</p>
      <p>The TARDIS was silent. As Sherlock turned to look out into space once more, the sound picked up again as they headed off into the time vortex.</p>
      <p>Sherlock ran to the infirmary.</p>
      <p>"John! We have a heading!" He stopped himself with both hands on each side of the open door. "Wait!"</p>
      <p>John hovered the gauze over Cas' chest, wondering what it is this time. Sherlock studied the markings on the angel.</p>
      <p>"Sherlock?"</p>
      <p>"Hmm?" He looked up to see John in his face.</p>
      <p>"I don't want it to get infected. You know what it means."</p>
      <p>"Unfortunately." He stepped back.</p>
      <p>John was just about done wrapping the last of the gauze when Cas started to wake up.</p>
      <p>"Well, that didn't last long."</p>
      <p>"Being an angel, human drugs don't affect me as much as they should." He looked down at his torso completely covered.</p>
      <p>"How are you feeling?"</p>
      <p>"Shoulder is a little sore."</p>
      <p>"I put it back into place."</p>
      <p>"Oh. Thank-you, John. Where's Dean?"</p>
      <p>"I have a pretty good idea." Sherlock said from the door.</p>
      <p>Cas found himself a shirt, and he followed John and Sherlock to find Sam and Dean. It did not take long, what with the loud noises and cussing coming from the game room.</p>
      <p>"JERK!"</p>
      <p>"BITCH!"</p>
      <p>Sam and Dean ignored the three standing behind their bean bags. Sherlock did not understand the purpose, while John was relieved they were finally relaxing.</p>
      <p>Cas looked very interested. "You never showed me this game before."</p>
      <p>Dean's Luigi drove off the rainbow bridge, and before his side of the screen turned black, he was right in front of Cas.</p>
      <p>"Are you ok?" Dean could see the gauze through the thin shirt.</p>
      <p>Cas nodded. "I'm much better. John is a very good physician." He smiled at John.</p>
      <p>Dean went and hugged John. "Thank-you." He stepped back, patting John's shoulders. "Thank-you."</p>
      <p>"It was my pleasure."</p>
      <p>Cas turned his attention back to the game paused on the screen. "Dean, do you have one of these in the Bunker?"</p>
      <p>Sam added a third controller. Dean led Cas to an empty cushion.</p>
      <p>"Nope, but we're investing in one as soon as we get back."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"They're all children." Sherlock observed as he sipped his tea with John at the mini bar on the far side of the game room.</p>
      <p>"It's doing more good than harm right now. Besides, they really are so young."</p>
      <p>"Castiel is not."</p>
      <p>"Sherlock." John gave them a look. "Let them be."</p>
      <p>He envied them. Their innocence, their carefree spirit. To be so young and to have already seen so much, why could they not live a little? This life, it was so cruel and hateful to them. And they could still find a light in the darkness.</p>
      <p>Sherlock envied them too.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>When the Doctor came to, he had an idea of where he was, but was still not sure. It was dark. And a storm was tearing up the sky, he knew that much.</p>
      <p>"So, Doctor."</p>
      <p>He turned to see Crowley standing a couple of feet away from him. "What do you think?"</p>
      <p>"It's not what I expected." He kept looking around. Torches lit the place, but other than that, the darkness was suffocating.</p>
      <p>"This part was made just for you. I customized it, free of charge. Moriarty let me in on a few details that I wasn't aware of, and I think I finally found the perfect punishment for you."</p>
      <p>The Doctor stepped back a little.</p>
      <p>"What? You expect to come to Hell, and there wouldn't be any torture?"</p>
      <p>"I'm not...I can't die. I'll just regenerate."</p>
      <p>"That's the fun part. Now all your life, all those years of manipulating time, you have a lot in your burden, do you not? All those planets, all those people you couldn't save...I could not hate you as much as you hate yourself, but you are...terrifying. So many secrets."</p>
      <p>The Doctor thought back once more. He tried so hard to be good.</p>
      <p>"Aw, there she is!" Crowley raised his eyebrows. "Have fun."</p>
      <p>
        <strong>
          <em>hateful life</em>
        </strong>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p>After only a couple hours of sleep, everyone felt a little better, despite the ever-looming nightmares that never left them. Even Sherlock snoozed for an hour and two minutes.</p>
    <p>And now, to save the Doctor.</p>
    <p>Castile had spoken to the TARDIS as everyone rested. She fascinated him.</p>
    <p>
      <em>You were always one of His most mysterious parts of Creation. But that's the beauty of it, isn't it? The fact that there is still so much to discover in the universe. I find myself a little jealous of humans because they are so eager to learn, and they have barely scratched the surface. God only knows everything, and I like it that way. I don't want to know everything. But I want to keep on learning. </em>
    </p>
    <p>He placed a gentle hand on her wall.</p>
    <p>
      <em>I just hope that we can help him. That you can find him.</em>
    </p>
    <p>"Are we there yet?" Dean said through a partially chewed burger.</p>
    <p>Cas was drawn out of his trance, ending his silent conversation. He did not answer in time before Sherlock entered as well.</p>
    <p>"Can you please have some dignity for the sake of everyone on board? You are disgusting. And we have been at our destination for quite some time, since it is a <em>time </em>machine, hence the lack of turbulence."</p>
    <p>"<em>Someone</em> didn't get their beauty sleep."</p>
    <p>"Dean, shut-up." Sam stopped the two from going any further. He was beginning to wonder if Sherlock was taking a position as the scolding older brother Dean never wanted. </p>
    <p>"What? I can't help it that I was the only one who slept like a baby." Dean's smug look quickly turned sour. "Baby?" His voice pitched a little higher than was accounted for.</p>
    <p>"Don't worry, Dean, I'll fix her when we're done." Dean thanked Cas from the bottom of his heart.</p>
    <p>"If I have to hear one more comment about a delusionally personified mode of transportation, I am going to jump out into space."</p>
    <p>"That won't be necessary." John interjected in a tone that Sherlock meant that there was a line, and he had crossed it.</p>
    <p>"Maybe we should go see where we are." Sam changed the subject. "Cas, where are we?"</p>
    <p>"Let's see." Cas reappeared, having checked their surroundings. "For some reason we're back in London. But it's at a different time."</p>
    <p>"Ah, I wanted to see what happened to the dinosaurs." Dean whined.</p>
    <p>"Um, that's classified." Cas pointed out.</p>
    <p>"Are you freakin' kidding me?!" Dean threw his hand like he was throwing a fit. First, no sleeping with Cleopatra, and now no dinosaurs?! What was the point of time travel?</p>
    <p>"No, not this time."</p>
    <p>"Can we get on with it then? Go see why we're here so we can stop Moriarty." Sherlock really hated Americans.</p>
    <p>They exited the TARDIS and was thrown into the middle of London. People were bustling about ignoring the five men walking out of the alley.</p>
    <p>John picked up a newspaper. "It's 2005."</p>
    <p>"Why 2005?" Sam asked looking around.</p>
    <p>"Maybe it's the writing on the wall." Everyone turned to look at Sherlock who was looking at some graffiti on the wall.</p>
    <p>"I don't get it." Dean shrugged.</p>
    <p>Cas stared at it, as if willing it to tell them what this meant. He disappeared for about three minutes.</p>
    <p>"Does he ever-"</p>
    <p>"Nope." Dean shook his head. </p>
    <p>"That was different." Cas was staring at the message. "I was expecting something more obvious."</p>
    <p>Sherlock chuckled under his breath. Even an angel of the Lord could not think like he did. "<em>Obviously</em>, somebody wanted someone to see it, and it somehow relates to the Doctor in some way. So we just have to find the messenger or the one to whom it was received by. They can help us."</p>
    <p>"Ok..." Dean looked at the wall again. "You got all of that from some scribbling on a wall?"</p>
    <p>"Wait, Sherlock is right!" Sam had a light bulb go off. "Why would the TARDIS bring us here? To see this message in this year? It has to have some significance. For us, it did."</p>
    <p>"Yeah, that was the year you dropped out of college."</p>
    <p>"Dean, be serious, we started hunting that year...alone."</p>
    <p>"That long ago? Time flies when you die eighty times." John looked horrified. Dean shook his head. "Long story."</p>
    <p>"But what happened to you guys back then?" Sam asked Sherlock and John. Sherlock went back to studying the wall.</p>
    <p>"I went to Afghanistan that year." John fought the urge to avoid discussing his PTSD, the things he did and did not do. "And it was about five years later I moved in with this git." John laughed.</p>
    <p>Sherlock did not respond.</p>
    <p>"Sherlock?"</p>
    <p>"There's nothing significant that happened during that year for me." Sherlock headed back to the TARDIS. "This is all we need."</p>
    <p>"That's it?" Dean asked Cas as they all went inside the TARDIS.</p>
    <p>"Yes, we needed to see that message...so we can find who we need to help save the Doctor."</p>
    <hr/>
    <p>The Doctor could not bear it another time. He had been tortured physically, and would not break under that kind of pressure. He could handle that any day. He would never give in. Physical pain was just a part of his life, and he was more than used to it. But not this time. This time was different. This time, the pain was unbearable. It was emotionally excruciating.</p>
    <p>Tears puddled in front of his scraped knees where he fell in despair. This was more than just punishment. This was like dying, but not quite to the point where death would finally show mercy and he could regenerate, and forget about the pain. For some reason, his hearts stayed in tact, no poison cursed his body, no bullet tore through himself. He felt like he was dying, because this hurt so much more than any kind of torture he had ever been through.</p>
    <p>After all he had been through, nothing hurt him more than <em>this</em>.</p>
    <p>"How does it feel, Doctor?" Crowley's mocking voice echoed around him. "To be weak, cowardly, and hated? You are a disgrace to anything that breathes air into its lungs. You are nothing but a murderer, a thief, and a liar. How do you live with yourself?" He laughed. "Sorry, I forgot...you have no choice."</p>
    <p>He did not look up, because he did not want to see, but he cleared his throat.</p>
    <p>"I have lived for thousands of years, lived many lives...and it feels like I'm falling. That gut feeling you get when you know the landing is coming. But I never land. I'm always feeling this way. This endless torment from the constant reminders of times I have failed. Sometimes I wish I could land, and end it all. That's why I wanted to go with you. Maybe you can help me?"</p>
    <p>He finally looked up again, and it still hurt just as much as the first time.</p>
    <hr/>
    <p>Jim Moriarty fired his pistol at the Dalek, not that it did any good. But it let him blow off some steam.</p>
    <p>"Do you ever shut up?" He really considered finding a way to get rid of those stupid and obnoxious robots.</p>
  </div>
</div><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>
        <strong>
          <em>nunc obdurat</em>
        </strong>
      </p>
      <p>"Please...I'm so sorry, I'm so so sorry..." He could not stop crying long enough to take a breath. His chest ached, and his eyes burned. "I didn't, I still don't know how..."</p>
      <p>"It didn't work...<em>he</em> died."</p>
      <p>The Doctor's eyes shot up. "That's not, but...but how?"</p>
      <p>"Everything you touch gets destroyed, one way or another..."</p>
      <p>"No, but I can fix it!" He stood up, begging again. "You know you can trust me. I'm the Doctor. You <em>know</em> me."</p>
      <p>"No..." A slap to the face silenced him. "You're just another lie."</p>
      <p>"I never lied to you! I never wanted to hurt you!"</p>
      <p>"You did more than just that. You killed me."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"So you're saying it's a person?" Sam could not quite make sense of this new piece of information.</p>
      <p>"In a way, yes." Cas answered as if he was trying to make a toddler understand. "It's the end of the universe as we know it."</p>
      <p>"We are well aware of that already." Sherlock was frustrated. How could he not have noticed that message back then?</p>
      <p>"Sherlock, please." John was getting tired of Sherlock complaining like this. More so than usual.</p>
      <p>"Where are we supposed to find it, this <em>thing</em> that confuses me more than all of the other asshats we've been running into?" Dean saw his sandwich that was thrown down earlier, eyeing it greedily.</p>
      <p>"Dude, no, that's dirty." Sam knew exactly what his brother was thinking.</p>
      <p>"It's still in the wrapper." Dean defended himself.</p>
      <p>"How are you not dead?" Sherlock wondered allowed.</p>
      <p>"Well, I don't have angels, demons, the Scribe of God, or Leviathans and Vampires trying to kill me. Oh, and no piano or school bus crushing me to a pulp. So I'm alive and well...for now."</p>
      <p>John stared at Dean for a second then shook his head. "You know what? The less I know, the better."</p>
      <p>"Guys, check this out." Sam was looking at the screen on the console, typing something in.</p>
      <p>"Since when are you an expert on alien tech?" Dean looked over his shoulder.</p>
      <p>"Since the TARDIS translates everything for me to begin with, and since you fell asleep while Mario was killed by a demon mushroom."</p>
      <p>Cas laughed. "It was comical. Sam showed me how to take a video with my phone before he went to the library."</p>
      <p>"You didn't...send it to anyone, did you?" Dean asked nervously.</p>
      <p>"Bobby found it ironic you were killed by a natural food instead of a cheeseburger." Cas laughed a little.</p>
      <p>"<em>Bobby</em>?! You text Bobby upstairs?" Dean jumped.</p>
      <p>"Occasionally. I just figured it out not too long ago." Cas looked down at his phone, then played a couple of seconds of the video for Dean. Sam and his snickering could be heard in the background.</p>
      <p>Dean was horrified. If Bobby was still a ghost, he would haunt him with pixelated mushrooms for the rest of his life.</p>
      <p>Thank Heaven he was still <em>in </em>Heaven.</p>
      <p>"I'm going to kill you." Dean glared at Sam.</p>
      <p>Sam held his hands up in mock surrender. "I saw the opportunity, and I took it. Besides, why are you blaming me? It was Cas' phone who recorded it."</p>
      <p>"Cas is like a lost puppy who doesn't know any better when you pull him into one of your shenanigans." Dean held up a hand to Cas. "No offense."</p>
      <p>"I'm not offended, Dean."</p>
      <p>"It's no worse than when you taught him how to-"</p>
      <p>"Hang on." Sherlock sent the TARDIS off.</p>
      <p>"What the hell?!" Dean yelled, rubbing his head where he collided with Sam's elbow.</p>
      <p>"I know where we're going! While you were having another domestic dispute, I saw an opportunity, and took it." Sherlock smirked. Time travel was thrilling. Not boring at all.</p>
      <p>When they landed, John pulled Sherlock back as everyone else went to go see where they were this time.</p>
      <p>"Sherlock..." John let go of his friend, who knew exactly what he was going to say. "You don't have to be ashamed of it anymore. You're doing wonderfully."</p>
      <p>"But what about-"</p>
      <p>"Everyone slips up every now and again. But that doesn't take away the fact that you're trying to do better, to be better. I'm proud of you, Sherlock." John put a comforting hand on his shoulder.</p>
      <p>Sherlock never expected that kind of reaction. John had found him a number of times using or passed out on the floor, and never not once gave up on him. He never threatened rehab. John was always there for him.</p>
      <p>Sherlock thought back to 2005. Mycroft had found him half-dead in who knows where, and had sent an ambulance for him. He almost did not make it. But for some reason, he did.</p>
      <p>Sherlock never told John until after the ordeal with Mary. And John, to this day, has never judged him. Instead, John had always tried to help him.</p>
      <p>He pushed those thoughts away. "Yes. Um, shall we, uh?"</p>
      <p>"Yeah, let's go see what we've gotten into now." John told Sherlock over his shoulder. Seeing Sherlock give a puzzled look to the scene before him, he turned around.</p>
      <p>They were on a beach.</p>
      <p>"What are we supposed to be looking for again?" Dean looked around, his leather jacket not quite warm enough for him. For miles they could see nothing but ocean and beach.</p>
      <p>"We'll know when we see her." Cas answered.</p>
      <p>"Her?" Sam asked. "It's a she?"</p>
      <p>"A she-wolf." Dean pointed out. Cas tilted his head in the infamous, confused puppy look. "Cas, you have not truly lived on Earth until you have seen Shakira."</p>
      <p>"Just stop." Sherlock groaned.</p>
      <p>"Her hips don't lie." Dean smiled mischievously.</p>
      <p>Before he could kill Dean, Sherlock stormed off, searching for a clue as to why they were brought to this deserted beach.</p>
      <p>"Dean." Dean rolled his eyes. Yet another lecture from his responsible, fun-sucking brother. "Just tone it down a little. It annoys Sherlock and confuses Cas."</p>
      <p>"That just goes to show you how much Cas is missing in life. Don't worry, Cas, one day, you will understand everything that is absolutely necessary."</p>
      <p>"I appreciate your help, Dean."</p>
      <p>"Sherlock? What are you doing?"</p>
      <p>John's question found everyone looking at the consulting detective digging in the sand.</p>
      <p>"There's something here we need to find."</p>
      <p>"No shit, Sherlock." Dean smiled. Sherlock gave him a death glare, and continued digging.</p>
      <p>"Dean." This time, the warning came from John.</p>
      <p>"What? I can take his scrawny ass." Dean jumped back, seeing Sherlock in his face.</p>
      <p>"Don't. Test. Me." Sherlock threatened very slowly. Dean figured his patience was wearing very thin.</p>
      <p>"Guys?" Sam was staring at the small hole in the ground. He pulled out a gold-hooped earring.</p>
      <p>Sherlock snatched it from Sam's hand and began to study it. Sam backed off, not wanting to antagonize him anymore.</p>
      <p>"It belonged to her." Cas said to the group. "And she's here."</p>
      <p>Sand breaking under footsteps caused the group to turn around to see someone sprinting to the TARDIS.</p>
      <p>"We can't get stuck here!" John started to run.</p>
      <p>Cas beat everyone to the opened door.</p>
      <p>"Let me in! Please! He's here! In the TARDIS!" The girl started crying as she fought Cas.</p>
      <p>"No, he's not, and that's why we need you."</p>
      <p>"Castiel?"</p>
      <p>"Hello."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"I think you've had enough for now." Crowley appeared standing over the Doctor.</p>
      <p>The Doctor did not acknowledge him.</p>
      <p>"I need you to do something for me, and in return, well, I'll let you return back to your blue box and band of misfits. You can go off to whatever part of the universe you want. Hell, go to another universe, I don't care. All I ask is one simple thing."</p>
      <p>The Doctor stood up on shaky legs to face him. His eyes, hurt and pained, drilled holes into the demon.</p>
      <p>"Never."</p>
      <p>Crowley shrugged. "Guess you haven't learned your lesson, then."</p>
      <p>
        <strong>
          <em>first oppresses</em>
        </strong>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>The girl wiped her tears, giving a small smile. "I haven't seen you in..."</p>
      <p>"Ages..." Cas finished.</p>
      <p>Dean cleared his throat. "You didn't tell me you had a girlfriend."</p>
      <p>"Dean, this is who we are looking for, the Bad Wolf. This is Rose."</p>
      <p>Rose smiled and shyly waved at the boys, who gave some confused stares.</p>
      <p>"So, <em>your'e </em>the Bad Wolf?" John questioned. "I don't mean to sound rude, but..."</p>
      <p>"It is a bit...complicated." Rose said. She looked at Sherlock, who seemed to be studying her as if she was a new species he accidentally stumbled upon. Which she was, in a way.</p>
      <p>The TARDIS hummed, turning Rose to her. Rose walked slowly to the console, gently stroking the TARDIS. It had been far too long since she last heard that beautiful sound and seen the infinite size of the inside. But where was her Doctor?</p>
      <p>"Oh, how I have missed you." She started crying again. "You seem so sad, not because you're dying, but because...please take me to him." Placing her hand on the console, Rose turned to the group. "You might want to go hide into the library." Her eyes flashed a light brighter than the Earth's sun, and in a flash, Cas had teleported them safely to the library.</p>
      <p>Sherlock and John staggered for a minute, not used to the angel mode of transportation.</p>
      <p>"I don't get it." Sam said. "She's a human, how..." He rubbed his hands in his long hair, trying to understand.</p>
      <p>"Like I said when we all first met," Cas reminded everyone. "The TARDIS chooses her companions for the Doctor. And knowing Rose Tyler was special, she connected with her in a miraculous way. I can't explain how, but this girl is significant to the Doctor."</p>
      <p>"Well, she is smoking, even with the literal fire in her eyes." Dean pointed out. They all ignored him.</p>
      <p>"So the graffiti on the wall displaying her other nonhuman alias not only warns people it's the end of the world, but also the fact that she, or the Bad Wolf needs to return, to do what exactly?" Sherlock tilted his head, eyes squinted in a confused, deep thought.</p>
      <p>"To save the Doctor." Rose stood in the doorway to the library. "And I know the TARDIS chose you all specifically for a reason unknown. You can help me. Allons-y!"</p>
      <p>Dean looked at Cas, who simply translated, "It means 'let's go'."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>Jim pulled his phone out and dialed the three digits he was given. He was bored again. Why did he let Sherlock leave with that blue box? It would have been more fun to steal it for himself, and take them all for a wild ride. Oh well, maybe Crowley finally cracked the Doctor by now. After all, he was the King of Hell.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Your call cannot be completed as dialed.</em>
      </p>
      <p>"Dammit." He did not even bother trying again.</p>
      <p>"THE DOCTOR CANNOT DIE! THE DOCTOR CANNOT-"</p>
      <p>"I KNOW, YOU STUPID GOD-FORSAKEN HUNK OF METAL!" Jim screamed right into the eye of the Dalek in the middle of two others. "Why can't you be like them?" He gestured to the Weeping Angels. "They are scary, something you're definitely not, and are <em>QUIET</em>!"</p>
      <p>The Dalek shut up, maybe only because the Doctor's sonic screwdriver was pointing right at it. Jim still could not understand how one lonely, depressed Time Lord could scare an entire species.</p>
      <p>His phone rang.</p>
      <p>"How's the patient?" Jim asked.</p>
      <p>A click was heard both in his ear and behind him. He turned around to see Crowley sticking his phone in his pocket.</p>
      <p>"Nothing but a whimper. Stubborn bastard won't give me the first syllable."</p>
      <p>"Clearly, he's not so easily broken."</p>
      <p>"I sent the love of his life on him two thousand and five times, and all he does is just cry like a baby and apologizes relentlessly."</p>
      <p>Jim hummed in thought. "Was her name Rose?"</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>All he could think about was her. That smile that shone like the sun.</p>
      <p>
        <em>I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye.</em>
      </p>
      <p>How he wished it could have been just to show how much she meant to him. Not to leave her.</p>
      <p>
        <em>How long are you going to stay with me?</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>Forever.</em>
      </p>
      <p>Forever was not long enough. Just a moment in time that would haunt him. But it was fantastic.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Does it need saying?</em>
      </p>
      <p>More tears fell down his cheeks. "Oh, it does, Rose, it does. It needed to be said a million times a day. You will never understand how much..." He choked, then sobbed again. His body was still sore, but he still kept talking to himself like the mad man he was. "Rose Tyler..."</p>
      <p>After all this time! He still hesitates! .</p>
      <p>He peeked up, grateful to not see that demon hologram of what looked like her, but was not her. He would not dare say it in front of that thing.</p>
      <p>"Rose Tyler...I love you." He paused. "I love you so much more than, than..." He took a breath, a small relief in sending this silent prayer to her. "I love you."</p>
      <p>"<em>Quite right, too</em>."</p>
      <p>The Doctor froze. It was another demon. It had to be. But, no demon responded not <em>once </em>like that. They would always laugh in his face. This was a soft voice, almost like an angel.</p>
      <p>His angel.</p>
      <p>He stood up slowly, but did not turn around. It was quiet, even the storms had died down in the distance. He figured what was one more round of heartbreak going to do? Would this be it? The last straw to regenerate him? If it was, at least he could heal a little.</p>
      <p>His stomach was churning, making him sick. He turned around.</p>
      <p>And there she was.</p>
      <p>He could not believe it. Part of him did not want to believe it, for fear of more disappointment and heartbreak. But her eyes were full of color and life, not black or that sickly yellow. Her body did not twitch or reappear again and again like a static TV screen. And her smile. It was genuine and full of hope and tears of joy.</p>
      <p>"Doctor?" She asked timidly. "It's really me..." She slowly walked up to him.</p>
      <p>The Doctor was frozen with fear. It cannot be possible, can it? Can she really be right here?</p>
      <p>She stopped right in front of him. "I like this new you. Bow ties are cool, y'know."</p>
      <p>The Doctor broke. "Oh, Rose." As he fell to his knees, she hugged him, easing them both down. She held like the scared little boy he was, rubbing his back soothingly.</p>
      <p>"It's ok. I'm here. I'm not leaving you ever again."</p>
      <p>"No." The Doctor looked at her, holding on for dear life. "<em>I'm </em>not leaving <em>you</em>. <em>Ever</em>. Rose Tyler." He whispered. "I love you." He leaned in slowly, scared something would happen, but at the same time eager. Because this time, it would really be him kissing the real her. And they would both remember their first time.</p>
      <p>It was so sweet, and soft. Timid and shy, but soon grew into something more passionate. This was not just a kiss. Two beings deeply in love finally found each other, and will never let go. The Doctor memorized her every move, every curve and taste of her lips. Rose did the same.</p>
      <p>When they broke free only to take a breath, the TARDIS slowly transformed in front of them. Once again, the Doctor cried.</p>
      <p>"Hello, old girl." He grabbed Rose's hand, who led him to the TARDIS, opened up by Cas, who smiled at the reunited couple.</p>
      <p>"Welcome back, Doctor."</p>
    </div>
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  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>
        <strong><em>et tunc</em> <em>curat</em></strong>
      </p>
      <p>Sherlock immediately set course for the time vortex. The sooner they got out of Hell, the better.</p>
      <p>The Doctor did not bother to ask where Sherlock planned on going. He liked surprises, but all he cared about was her. Rose. In his arms again.</p>
      <p>She led him through the group, who was all happy for his return...and hers. The Doctor did not recall one tidbit of dialogue from his wisecracking friends. He focused on what it felt like, her hand wrapped around his own.</p>
      <p>"Doc, you ok?" Dean noticed the Doctor was out of it, having spent time in Hell himself, he could totally relate.</p>
      <p>The Doctor focused back in on the present. "Yeah." He squeezed Rose's hand. "I'm ok."</p>
      <p>"You look like you need some rest." Sherlock pointed out. "You've nothing to worry about. We're just orbiting what used to be known as a planet called Pluto."</p>
      <p>"It's still a planet." Dean countered.</p>
      <p>Sherlock rolled his eyes. Of course, Dean would be one of <em>those </em>people.</p>
      <p>"Poor little Pluto." The Doctor mumbled as he and Rose walked off down one of the halls. Weaving in and out, the Doctor tried to remember the last time he actually slept in his own bed. Time travel obscured the need for that much rest on a regular basis, but he sure could use it now.</p>
      <p>Rose felt a pain of nostalgia, walking these halls again. She was finally home again with her Doctor.</p>
      <p>He pulled a key out to unlock the door, Rose looking at his hand work the lock. He looked down at her nervously.</p>
      <p>It had been so long, and yes, only just now was this going to be their first time.</p>
      <p>"Rose." His voice was still scratchy as he led her into his bedroom. The TARDIS had many guest bedrooms for his many companions, but this was just for the Time Lord...and her.</p>
      <p>"Doctor." Slowly letting go of his hand, she brought it up to his face. Her soft hand stroked every part of his neck, cheek...it was all so new and different, but she knew from the last time he regenerated, she knew that he was still the Doctor.</p>
      <p>The Doctor tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. He was so cautious with his movements, as if scared one wrong move would send her back. Although he still had no idea how it was possible she was here...he did not care, as long as she could stay.</p>
      <p>"Rose." He leaned down to kiss her again. And again. He held her waist, not wanting her to go away. But she did.</p>
      <p>She stepped back, her chest slightly rising and falling faster than normal. She smirked. "That bowtie is in my way."</p>
      <p>He took one step, and she grabbed his bowtie, pulling it out to dangle down the front of his shirt. Then she went for the jacket, pushing it off his shoulders. The Doctor threw his arms back, letting it fall to the ground. The sonic screwdriver made a little sound.</p>
      <p>Rose took her own jacket off as if it were to cause harm to her skin. She kicked her shoes off, then kissed him again, less softly this time.</p>
      <p>"Waitwaitwait..." The Doctor was already breathing heavy. "I've never-"</p>
      <p>"It doesn't matter. I still want <em>you</em>." She had tears in her eyes. "I love you, Doctor."</p>
      <p>"I love you, Rose Tyler." He will never tire of saying those words. Because it needed saying. And it needed showing.</p>
      <p>He pulled her to the bed, and positioned her in front of it. She helped him unbutton his shirt. Pale, soft skin peeked out from the opening. He discarded it, along with his bowtie behind him. Then she studied him again, a curious, longing expression on her face.</p>
      <p>"Doctor, I want you." She said slowly, deliberately. But her hands moved slower, finding the bottom of her shirt. They never took their eyes off of each other. Only after her face reappeared again once the shirt went over her head did the Doctor cut his eyes down.</p>
      <p>Oh, she was so beautiful.</p>
      <p>Slowly, again, she laid back on the bed. He leaned forward, his arms straddling her.</p>
      <p>"If you'll have me, Rose, I am yours forever."</p>
      <p>She sat up and looked at him, the most beautiful thing in the world, and only then realized that she could keep him. "Far longer than that, Doctor."</p>
      <p>She helped him with his belt, his shaky hands not doing him much good. The pants fell off as she stood up, looking at him. Her pants slid off as well, although at this point, all they could see was each other's eyes, trying to catch up on their stories of the past since they were separated.</p>
      <p>Rose unclamped her bra and held it for a second before tossing it aside.</p>
      <p>"Did I ever tell you you're...beautiful?"</p>
      <p>"Yeah...you did actually." She blushed.</p>
      <p>"But I never told you...<em>how</em> beautiful you are. You are my Rose...my Bad Wolf who finally returned home." A tear fell.</p>
      <p>She put a finger on her right side of her panties, and pulled it out a little to tease him. He sucked in a breath as they fell down her legs.</p>
      <p>"Are you all right?" She looked a little concerned. She did not want to make him to uncomfortable to scare him off. But she knew he wanted this just as much as she did.</p>
      <p>The Doctor turned his head away from a chair off to the side. "I-I'm..." He swallowed. He slowly inched his shorts off till it was below his hips before they dropped on their own. "This is kinda new, for me...in this body."</p>
      <p>"I know, Doctor." She kissed him softly, then with her hand round his bare neck, she pulled him down till he was straddling her.</p>
      <p>He stared down at her for a moment as she opened her legs a little.</p>
      <p>"Doctor, I want you."</p>
      <p>That was all he needed. As he kissed her, he made love to her. The moaning and hissing flowed with each thrust, each movement.</p>
      <p>"You're...so...gentle..." Rose huffed out between breaths.</p>
      <p>"I will never hurt you again, Rose." He said seriously for a second, promising her a brighter future for the two of them. "<em>Ohhhhhh</em>..." He threw his head back closing his eyes. Rose gripped the sheets a little tighter this time.</p>
      <p>"<em>Doc-tor</em>..." Rose felt his sweat drop down into her own, but loving every minute of this. She felt him moving inside her, knowing he was getting close. "You all right?"</p>
      <p>He whined, shaking his head. "I can't...nnngh." The release was a relief, to say the least. Rose moaned, feeling him inside her, filling her, making her feel good.</p>
      <p>"Doctor..." She was out of breath. As he pulled out, she whimpered. "Doctor?" She felt the bed sink beside her as he landed flat on his back next to her.</p>
      <p>As he tried to steady his breathing, he reached over with his arm and pulled her as close to him as possible.</p>
      <p>"I love you, Rose Tyler. I love you."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"So what's the plan, then?" John had allowed Sherlock to be in his Mind Palace for about half and hour, which was longer than usual. But, when in a time machine, one had all the time in the world.</p>
      <p>"The plan is simple. We are outnumbered 100:1 with these aliens, and this demon, this-"</p>
      <p>"Wait, demon?" Sam got up from his spot in the library with all of his books. "How do you know he's working with a demon?"</p>
      <p>"John and I have had a few cases involving deals with demons, and I know whether or not someone has made a deal."</p>
      <p>"What, you splash holy water on them? Draw devil's traps everywhere?" Dean questioned.</p>
      <p>"I'm not that obvious." Sherlock left it at that. "As I was saying, we need to lower his numbers considerably if there's a chance to stopping him. We need to start with the Daleks."</p>
      <p>"Why them?" John asked.</p>
      <p>"Because they're annoying."</p>
      <p>
        <strong>
          <em>and then soothes</em>
        </strong>
      </p>
    </div>
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</div><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
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    <p></p>
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      <p>Crowley thought for a moment. "Rose? Yes, he kept moaning that name, and my demons pretended to be his greatest desire, this blonde chick. Must be her."</p>
      <p>"So, Rose Tyler...the Doctor's long lost love..."</p>
      <p>"ROSE TYLER! ENEMY OF THE DALEK RACE. EXTERMINATE THE BAD WOLF! EX-"</p>
      <p>"I swear to God, if you don't shut up!" Jim screamed, firing another useless round at the annoying Dalek.</p>
      <p>"Unfortunately, reunited at last." Crowley finished.</p>
      <p>Jim paused. "What? The Master told me she was trapped in a whole 'nother universe. How-"</p>
      <p>"The Doctor has been rescued."</p>
      <p>"You let him escape <em>HELL</em>?!"</p>
      <p>"Yeah, that's what I said." Crowley was not the least bit concerned. "I still don't understand how you manage to live yourself, having a toddler tantrum every time you get the least bit frustrated. It's not healthy, even for someone your age."</p>
      <p>Jim was about to explode. Even the King of Hell was a doofus.</p>
      <p>"Now, just take it down a few notches." Crowley was fiddling with his phone. "While the Doctor was having his pity party, I was able to snatch up some DNA in order to complete a tracking spell."</p>
      <p>"Ok..." Jim was starting to calm down.</p>
      <p>"That way, we will know where that blasted blue box is going, and we can catch them in the act. You know, before they do something to ruin our ingenious plan."</p>
      <p>"Hmm..." Jim thought a moment. "I really want that blue box, though. Imagine if time was on our side."</p>
      <p>"Can't interfere with your own timeline, though."</p>
      <p>"Who said anything about <em>my </em>timeline?" Jim smiled devilishly.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>Dean had a smug smile on his face as the Doctor and Rose were giggling as they entered the library. He held out his hand to Sherlock.</p>
      <p>"Cough it up. I was right. Totally got laid."</p>
      <p>Sherlock shoved some money into the younger man's hand, not thrilled to have lost the bet.</p>
      <p>"So, Doctor." Sam spoke up. "We were kinda talking, and Sherlock thinks-"</p>
      <p>"I don't think, I know." Sherlock interrupted. "Since Moriarty has a significant amount of allies compared to us, we should reduce his numbers, starting with those damn Daleks."</p>
      <p>The Doctor thought out loud. "We need to watch out for the Angels, though. They are by far the biggest threat."</p>
      <p>"Angels?" Rose looked to Cas. "I thought-"</p>
      <p>"He means Weeping Angels. Remnants of fallen angels who were later killed after falling and or rebelling." Cas sighed. "Their hatred and need for revenge turned them into the monsters they are today."</p>
      <p>"And they are faster than light." The Doctor turned Rose to face him. "They freeze into statues of angels when you look at them, but once you blink, it's too late."</p>
      <p>"What happens?" Rose nervously asks.</p>
      <p>The Doctor fought the tears. "They zap you back into another time, another place all together, feeding off of your life energy."</p>
      <p>"What a way to go." Dean joked. John nudged him.</p>
      <p>"If you spot one, you can't look away from it, you can't blink."</p>
      <p>"Don't blink. Easy enough." Rose tried to make it not as bad as it sounded. But it did not help hide her worst fear possibly becoming a reality...again.</p>
      <p>"But don't worry, I've got a plan!" The Doctor assured proudly. "If we can get them to stare at each other, they can't move, they will be useless, locking them into place forever."</p>
      <p>"How do we do that?" Cas asked.</p>
      <p>"We make a wide enough perimeter around the TARDIS, blink to lead them to the TARDIS, run in, and disappear, not giving them the chance to move. When the TARDIS vanishes, all they will see is each other, resulting in a quantum lock." Sherlock explained rather quickly.</p>
      <p>"Brilliant. Now, how do we go about doing this without interruption from Moriarty, his demon friend, and the Daleks?" John asked.</p>
      <p>"Easy, I'll distract them." Dean volunteered.</p>
      <p>"Dean, are you sure?" Cas did not like the idea of Dean facing them alone.</p>
      <p>"Yeah, Cas. Besides, Crowley and I were besties once."</p>
      <p>"Don't remind me." Sam said annoyingly.</p>
      <p>"I'm not very fond of that time either." Cas said, crossing his arms.</p>
      <p>"And now there is nothing more that could ever surprise me..." Sherlock was not too alarmed, already having figured out Dean Winchester after spending only a couple of hours with him.</p>
      <p>"Oh, believe me. That's not the craziest-"</p>
      <p>"Sammy...drop it."</p>
      <p>"Dean, I've gotten past it. I've screwed up, you've screwed up. We've all done crazy stuff that's gotten the world into trouble. But you know what? We always figure it out."</p>
      <p>Dean threw his arms up. "Another chick-flic moment! C'mon, it was just a joke! Geez."</p>
      <p>"I still don't like you going alone, Dean." Cas was adamant.</p>
      <p>"Fine, you can be there invisible, and if I need help, you're already there, how does that sound?"</p>
      <p>"I think that sounds great!" The Doctor answered. "No one needs to be alone, especially as dangerous as this is."</p>
      <p>"Especially with that psychopath." Sherlock mumbled.</p>
      <p>"Yeah, that guy's gone off the rails on the crazy train." Dean whistled.</p>
      <p>"Where are they now?" Rose asked.</p>
      <p>"I would assume back at the castle where we last saw them." The Doctor said. "Seems Moriarty has a thing for it."</p>
      <p>"You have no idea." John looked at Sherlock.</p>
      <p>"Wouldn't hurt to start looking there." Sam agreed.</p>
      <p>"Well, then, Sherlock, would you do the honors?"</p>
      <p>"With pleasure, Doctor."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>They landed deeper into the woods this time, so as not to announce their arrival.</p>
      <p>"Ready, Dean?"</p>
      <p>"Yeah, just promise you'll also watch out for those stone asshats."</p>
      <p>"I'll be careful." Cas touched Dean's shoulder, the two suddenly disappearing in a split second.</p>
      <p>"Ok, let's find some angels." Sam pulled a flashlight, everyone else doing the same.</p>
      <p>Sherlock, John, the Doctor, Rose, and Sam all stood with their backs to the TARDIS.</p>
      <p>"Good luck." The Doctor told everyone.</p>
      <p>"We're sure as hell going to need it." John mumbled under his breath as he started straight forward.</p>
      <p>The Doctor and Rose went together. They were too paranoid not to get separated again, but who could blame them?</p>
      <p>It finally started to get boring. No sign of anything extraterrestrial. The woods were empty, except for the occasional hooting of the owl.</p>
      <p>"Were you alone before these blokes?" Rose asked, trying to calm her nerves with small talk. "Since I last saw you with Donna."</p>
      <p>The Doctor shook his head. "Not really. There were...them. Well, yes, there were periods where I was alone, but then we were reunited, and, well, it's a long story." The Doctor tried to keep it together. Now was not the best time.</p>
      <p>Rose regretted bringing up this topic. "I'm sorry."</p>
      <p>"No, no. We had such good times. We were like the three amigos, causing mischief and mayhem wherever we went."</p>
      <p>Rose smiled, thankful to hear he was not alone this whole time.</p>
      <p>"And how were you on the beach when they landed at that exact spot?"</p>
      <p>"Must've been fate." Rose kissed his cheek as they kept looking.</p>
      <p>A twig snapped, and Sherlock found himself staring at three angels.</p>
      <p>"Sherlock? You all right?" John whispered into the dark next to him.</p>
      <p>"Excellent." He smiled, his heart racing with adrenaline. He slowly started backing up, then blinked.</p>
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  </div>
</div><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>
        <strong>
          <em>ludo mentis aciem</em>
        </strong>
      </p>
      <p>"John." Sherlock hissed. The angels in front of him moved towards him, palms open in a welcoming manner.</p>
      <p>"Sherlock?" John dared not to turn to his friend. He thought he saw one in the bushes. Blinking very quickly, he was correct. An angel reached out for him. "You found one? Cause I just did."</p>
      <p>"Three." The detective plainly stated. He could almost hear a mental eye roll from John. "We're almost back to the TARDIS."</p>
      <p>"Wonder if the others are as lucky as we are." John wondered.</p>
      <p>"They'll be fine. Let's just hope our <em>distraction </em>is working."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"Go on, Cas, I don't need you to hold my hand or anything." Dean had his gun out, ready for anything. He then thought back to the last time they were alone in the woods...</p>
      <p>"I don't know, Dean." Cas looked around. "It's too quiet."</p>
      <p>"Yeah, you're right." Dean was almost too relieved to hear that. He did not want to leave Cas alone to those angels again. "Almost like a trap."</p>
      <p>"<em>It's not a trap. More like a prolonged chat</em>."</p>
      <p>Dean and Cas turned to see Crowley and Jim Moriarty.</p>
      <p>"Hello, boys. Been a while."</p>
      <p>"Crowley," Dean laughed. "I should've known you were in on this."</p>
      <p>"Oh, I'm the newest player. Honest."</p>
      <p>"Riiiight..."</p>
      <p>"Oh, come now, Squirrel."</p>
      <p>"You two have a history." Jim eyed the two.</p>
      <p>"Yes, but as you can see, Dean has moved on with his boyfriend...again."</p>
      <p>"What do you want out of all of this, Crowley?" Cas interrupted.</p>
      <p>"Just imagine...Hell on Earth..."</p>
      <p>"The Apocalypse? No thanks, I don't want to be anyone's dick toy."</p>
      <p>"My, my, Dean. Somebody's a little cranky." Jim tisked then whispered to Crowley. "You're gonna have to catch me up on <em>that</em>."</p>
      <p>"No, not the Apocalypse. Been there, done that. That's yesterday's news. There will be no, and I repeat, <em>no</em> archangel interferences in any way, shape, or form."</p>
      <p>"You just made my day. Now, we can kick your asses without any interferences." Dean smiled.</p>
      <p>"Oh, like you've been doing?" Jim reminded them. "Seems like I've been getting the upper-hand more than you. I mean, honestly, how do you figure on stopping us?"</p>
      <p>"Well, we're making headway right now." Cas said.</p>
      <p>"What, this discussion we're having?" Jim widened his eyes as if he just realized he left the stove on. "Oooohhh! You mean Sherlock's plan to eliminate my angels?"</p>
      <p>Dean's eyes shot to Cas.</p>
      <p>Jim shook his head. "He may be the genius, but I know how he works, so that makes me superior."</p>
      <p>"Looks like you better run along and save your friends." Crowley said.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"Doctor." Rose pointed her flashlight to an Angel smiling at them. She gripped his arm tighter.</p>
      <p>"Back up very slowly. I'm right here."</p>
      <p>They inched towards the TARDIS.</p>
      <p>"John? Sherlock? Sam?"</p>
      <p>"Yes?" Three voices said in unison.</p>
      <p>"I'm going to open the door, and go inside. Then when I disappear, you're going to crouch down as fast as you can at the same time. They should all be facing each other and freeze. OK?"</p>
      <p>"Got it." Sam said quickly. He hated these things, preferring to fight real angels and demons, not creepy statues.</p>
      <p>"Rose, come on inside." Still looking at the Angels in front of them, he pulled Rose into the TARDIS. Once she was safely inside, he stepped backwards. "Get ready!" He slammed the door and ran to the controls, Rose at his heels.</p>
      <p>As the TARDIS began to evaporate into thin air, Sherlock called out. "One!" Wind was blowing, but neither of them blinked. "Two!" The TARDIS fell silent, signaling its disappearance. "Three!" They all ducked.</p>
      <p>Silence.</p>
      <p>"Sherlock? Sam?" John found himself in the same spot, then looked up at the statue. He crawled out between two Angels. He saw his friends maneuvering through the stone maze, and the two tall young men eventually made it out.</p>
      <p>"I'm assuming it worked?" Sam turned to see six Angels in a circle. They were immobilized.</p>
      <p>"Your assumption would be correct." Sherlock sighed.</p>
      <p>"So, we just wait for the Doctor to-" John was cut off by the TARDIS landing a couple yards away. They jogged over as the door opened, hearing Rose's muffled voice wondering if they pulled it off. Her bright face greeted them, then quickly fell.</p>
      <p>"We have a problem." Dean stated the obvious after he and Cas appeared before them.</p>
      <p>"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"</p>
      <p>"Really, Dean? You had to bring the whole party with you?" Sam threw his hands up in the air, slamming them down to his side.</p>
      <p>"It's not my fault!" Dean pointed his thumb over his shoulder to the King of Hell.</p>
      <p>"Crowley. Why am I not surprised?"</p>
      <p>"Hello, Moose. Good to see you again...have you gotten taller?"</p>
      <p>"Shut-up." Dean was annoyed.</p>
      <p>"What's gotten into you lately? So possessive."</p>
      <p>Jim cleared his throat. "I <em>may</em> have messed with his little angel..."</p>
      <p>Crowley looked from Jim to Dean, then right next to him Cas. "I see."</p>
      <p>"And now comes my favorite part of our little game of ours!" Jim rubbed his hands together greedily. "The part where I've upped you all, so now I get to take a prize."</p>
      <p>"What do you want now?" Sherlock defensively asked. First, the sonic screwdriver, then Cas, then the Doctor. </p>
      <p>The Doctor stood protectively in front of Rose.</p>
      <p>"I want your blue box." Jim smiled at the scared Doctor. The Master had told him how much it...no, <em>she</em> really means to the Time Lord."</p>
      <p>"No." The Doctor said defiantly.</p>
      <p>"And why not, <em>Doctor</em>?"</p>
      <p>"Because even if you can take her away from me, she will <em>never</em> obey. She is living, breathing, with her own will. Not some machine you can control."</p>
      <p>Jim pouted, shoulders slumped.</p>
      <p>Crowley was bored, and looked up from his phone at his new ally. "Oh no, here comes another tantrum."</p>
      <p>Jim pulled out his gun, aiming it for the Doctor's head. "Tell me your name..."</p>
      <p>The Doctor smirked. "I'm never going to tell you, nor anyone. Ever."</p>
      <p>Jim sighed, his hand shaking a bit from built-up rage. He <em>hated </em>not getting what he wanted.</p>
      <p>"Admit it, you lost this round." He cut his eyes to see that defiant look on that arrogant face he hated more than anything.</p>
      <p>"On the contrary, my <em>dear</em>, I think I've won." He snapped his fingers, and an Angel vanished with the high-functioning sociopath. Jim shot the exact spot where Sherlock's head was not a second ago.</p>
      <p>"Sherlock?" John looked for his friend, who was taken from him in the blink of an eye.</p>
      <p>"Aw, I almost got him." Jim whined.</p>
      <p>"What kind of game are you playing, Moriarty?!" Dean yelled. "Just dragging us off one by one to play murder with?!"</p>
      <p>"Why, that's <em>exactly </em>what I plan to do!"</p>
      <p>"Are we done here? I have another meeting I must get to." Crowley was more than ready to go, tired of this bantering between children.</p>
      <p>"Fine." As they disappeared, the Daleks went off.</p>
      <p>"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"</p>
      <p>"Run!" The Doctor called. Shots fired as they all retreated to the TARDIS.</p>
      <p>Safely inside and taking off, everyone looked at each other, then at the loud bang heard from a fist to the wall.</p>
      <p>"Dammit!" Dean swore. "Why the Hell do we let them just keep doing that?!" He looked around at the group, who were all not making eye contact with him. "We are not just prizes in some crane game! Moriarty's playing us, and we're letting him. <em>I'm </em>not taking it any more!"</p>
      <p>
        <strong>
          <em>as fancy takes it</em>
        </strong>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sherlock took a moment to come to, a ringing in his ears disorienting him.</p><p>"Great...it's my turn now..." He mumbled.</p><p>"<em>Don't you miss the old days?</em>" Jim's voice came from behind him. He leaned into Sherlock's ear. "When it was just you, me, and John? Unfortunately, we've moved on to the big leagues. Angels, demons, aliens...it's a fun game, you've got to admit."</p><p>"You catch on pretty quickly."</p><p>"And so do you..." Jim smiled. "It was <em>fascinating</em> to see you scramble and basically give up on a case. I mean, the great Sherlock Holmes couldn't solve it, never thought I'd see the day."</p><p>"Never thought I'd see the day where you had to rely on other-worldly entities so you could win, for once. What's keeping you from pulling the trigger?" Sherlock smirked as Jim pointed a gun to his head. "I meant metaphorically."</p><p>"Well, it's the 21st century, dearie. Aliens keep coming in and spoiling all of the fun, demons are making deals with us left and right-"</p><p>"So <em>that's </em>how you survived?"</p><p>"Yes, I thought we were past that? God, you're so boring!" He pulled the gun away, and paced around irritably. "I just want to have some fun, enjoy every minute of <em>this</em>..." He squeezed his hands together, imagining the detective's head trapped between his shaking fingers. "Every moment I beat you, is sweeter than this Earth."</p><p>Sherlock laughed. "You're so obsessed with me...it's pathetic."</p><p>"Well, <em>there's </em>the pot calling the kettle black. Face it, you wouldn't be the greatest consulting detective without me. My cases are far more interesting. Now, I'm bringing you aliens-"</p><p>"The aliens were here before you..." Sherlock corrected.</p><p>"Will you <em>stop </em>interrupting me? Honestly!" Jim suddenly turned and left, slamming the door behind him.</p><p>Sherlock thought that was a bit too dull. He was expecting much worse, but knew that that was coming sooner than he would hope. He just prayed that everyone else was all right, and was able to figure out where they were so they could put a stop to this madness once and for all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <em>egestatem</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>"I found him..." The Doctor moved his screen so the others could see. </p><p>John's face paled.</p><p>"John, what's wrong?" Rose asked, putting a hand on his shoulder for comfort.</p><p>He did not react to the touch, nor the question.</p><p>"John?" Cas repeated.</p><p>John blinked. <em>That's where it happened. Where I...he...</em></p><p>Sam and Dean knew that look, and they did not press the army doctor any further. Their eyes locked with John's for a split second told him everything.</p><p>"Let's go, then..." John snapped out of it. The rest looked worried, but the Doctor nodded.</p><p>"Right...hang on." The TARDIS looked for her Doctor's lost companion, but with similar tactics used like last time, they were on their way to pick up their friend.</p><hr/><p>A smile spread across Sherlock's cracked lips as Moriarty entered again.</p><p>"What?" Moriarty got curious. "Shouldn't <em>I </em>be the one that's smiling? After all, you're just the next pawn in my little game..."</p><p>"Little. Game." Sherlock snickered.</p><p>Moriarty punched him, but it did not phase the consulting detective. He could feel the angels in the dark corners of the room, watching...waiting...they could not do much damage. Those pesky Daleks, though...</p><p>"<em>Excuse me?</em>" He yanked Sherlock's head up by the hair and glared at him. "Elaborate. Please."</p><p>"Well, since you asked so nicely..." He let go, and Sherlock rolled his head to crack his neck, letting out a satisfying sigh. "First, the demon deal...then, you got mixed up with a Time Lord as well, who has died more times than you or I know of...you've assumed rank over various creatures of the universe through murder, your favorite...and for what? You haven't caused much mayhem. You have the world as your stage, but you've made no moves, no, no...you just keep poking at us. Why, you ask?" Sherlock smirked. "You...have...<em>nothing</em>."</p><p>Moriarty leaned forward, about to explode. "Say that again."</p><p>"You may have all of the fun toys, but you have no idea what to do with them. Granted, the Cybermen could've easily been used on their own, but they're gone who knows where, thanks to the Doctor. Now, what? Kill me, torture me, your arch nemesis? Just do something, because this is getting rather...<em>boring...</em>" He smiled.</p><p>Moriarty boiled.</p><p>Before Sherlock could bask any more in this large victory over his foe, his breath seized in his lungs, white hot pain engulfing him from this one particular area in the abdomen.</p><p>"How <em>boring </em>are you, dearie?" He leaned into Sherlock's tear-stained face, whispering in his ear. "To be defeated by a mere dagger? The <em>great </em>Sherlock Holmes...how long do you think you'll last like this? You're right, I haven't had much going for me, and yet, I still have all of the good cards." Twisting the nice, Sherlock moaned. "I'm a patient man...I have the world holding their breath right now, waiting for the inevitable, waiting for <em>me </em>to give the word. This is our final problem, Sherlock. Can you even hope to try to stop me? With all your little, <em>pathetic</em>, whiny cards..." He pulled the dagger out, and stepped back. "No...I think not..."</p><p>Sherlock spat blood, but then heard that beautiful sound of those poor breaks.</p><p>"Looks like you've got company, dearie...do rest up...and just remember who's the <em>real </em>genius that's got it all figured out..." Moriarty left as the TARDIS appeared around the detective.</p><p>Sherlock panted, already going numb and becoming more delirious as everyone panicked around him. His senses came back once he felt this other-worldly glow on him, and he looked up at Castiel's soft eyes.</p><p>"Castiel?"</p><p>"You are healed..." Cas assured him.</p><p>Sherlock bowed his head. "Far from it..." He grunted as he was suddenly embraced in a tight hug. "John?"</p><p>"You idiot..." John whispered. "I thought I told you to never scare me like that again..."</p><p>"It's not like I had a choice in the matter either time, I-" Sherlock stopped at the look John gave him. He read his friend like an open book. "I'm sorry, John. I'm all right now. Thanks to Castiel..." He turned to nod. "And the Doctor..."</p><p>Dean let out a huff, wandering off. Sam let him go, stopping Cas from following him.</p><p>"Give him a minute."</p><p>"I'll never understand why you humans always insist on dealing with difficult matters alone when there's someone here to help..." Cas wondered out loud.</p><p>"We are complicated fellows...most other humans would prefer a therapy session every time they scrape a knee." Sherlock tried to explain. He softened. "But, everyone's different."</p><p><em>Everyone needs something...</em>Sherlock observed this crazy band of misfits.</p><p><em>Everyone has lost something</em>...He noticed the Doctor keeping Rose close to him. He was happy for the lonely Time Lord. He finally found her again. He remembered back to his first day on the TARDIS, the encrypted letters that were now gone. They were meant for her. He knew it was reciprocated, as she never wanted to leave his side either. Even with a different face, that did not matter to her. </p><p><em>And sometimes, it's hard to know what to do next...</em>He knew one thing for sure. Moriarty was not going to win, because his <em>friends </em>were going to see the light of day again, and know what happiness could be. Even though he had no idea what it was himself.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>poverty</em>
  </strong>
</p>
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